Nashik: The average wholesale tomato price at Nashik APMC, one of the major tomato wholesale markets in the district, declined by 50% in the last four weeks from Rs 200 per crate (20 kg a crate) or Rs 10 per kg to Rs 100 per crate (Rs 5 per kg) due to a rise in supply compared to demand.
The drop in wholesale tomato price has caused financial loss to farmers. Tomato farmers have demanded that the state govt take measures to provide relief to growers.
According to APMC officials, tomatoes are arriving locally in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and other states, which has reduced the demand for tomatoes from Nashik.
Usually, around 5,000-7,000 crates of tomatoes arrive daily at Nashik APMC. Presently, arrival of the produce has increased up to 15,000 crates a day at Nashik APMC, which has led to a drop in wholesale tomato price. Currently, traders are sending the produce to Mumbai only and to some extent to Vapi in Gujarat.
In the retail markets of the city, tomatoes are being sold at price ranging between Rs 10 and 20 per kg, depending on the quality.
Rajendra Khare, an APMC official who looks after the tomato section, said that there was a huge drop in wholesale tomato price in the last few weeks due to a rise in supply compared to demand.
“Usually, tomatoes from Nashik are sent to UP, MP, Gujarat, Mumbai, and other nearby areas in the state. But the arrival of tomatoes has increased locally in all these states, which has reduced the demand for the produce from Nashik,” said Khare.
“Presently, tomatoes are being supplied to Mumbai and to some extent to Vapi in Gujarat. Moreover, some tomato processing units in Nashik are also buying tomatoes, which have helped to stabilise the average wholesale tomato price to around Rs 5 a kg. Otherwise, the prices would have declined further,” said Khare.
The average wholesale tomato price at Nashik APMC was recorded at Rs 100 per 20 kg crate on Monday. The minimum and maximum tomato prices were recorded at Rs 60 and Rs 170 per crate, respectively, on Monday. Around 14,000 crates were auctioned at Nashik APMC on Monday.
Presently, tomatoes arriving at Nashik APMC are from Kalwan and other nearby talukas in the district.
