Hyderabad: Tomato growers in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district dumped their produce on roads after wholesale prices crashed to ₹1 per kilogram in the Pathikonda market, causing severe losses. Consequently, traffic came to a halt on the Gooty–Mantralayam Road as farmers staged their protest.
The farmers demanded that the government immediately ensure fair prices. They also urged authorities to set up a tomato processing factory in the region so that their crops would not go to waste during market slumps. Moreover, they warned that such distress would continue unless the state intervened effectively.
Andhra Pradesh leads in tomato production
Andhra Pradesh continues to lead the country in tomato productivity with 41.22 tonnes per hectare cultivated across 62,000 hectares. In total, the estimated yield stands at 22.17 lakh tonnes. Specifically, Kurnool district produces around 1.67 lakh tonnes annually from 4,800 hectares.
Tomatoes are cultivated in two main seasons — August to October (Kharif) and December to April (Rabi). Furthermore, Pathikonda hosts the second-largest tomato market in the state after Madanapalle in Chittoor district. However, frequent price fluctuations have consistently led to financial losses for local farmers.
Government plans tomato processing unit in Dudekonda
To address this issue, the state government earlier this year allocated ₹11 crore to establish a tomato processing unit on 2.5 acres at Dudekonda in Kurnool district. The move fulfilled Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s election promise to support tomato growers.
However, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, president of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), criticised the TDP-led NDA government for ignoring farmers after the steep fall in tomato and onion prices. “In Kurnool, onion sells for ₹3 per kg and tomato for ₹1.50 per kg. Are these prices for farmers to survive?” he asked. Reddy demanded immediate action to stabilise market prices and safeguard the livelihoods of cultivators.
