Farmers in Tirupur district are suffering as tomatoes were procured at just Rs 6 per kg at the Palladam uzhavar santhai. The farmers have complained that the fall in prices is due to the large number of tomatoes being cultivated and the arrival of tomatoes from outside the state.
Tirupur: With tomato prices falling sharply, farmers have urged the Tamil Nadu government to take steps to provide remunerative prices to the farmers.
In the last few days, tomato prices have risen sharply. The middle class people were unable to buy tomatoes that were sold for more than Rs 200. The price of tomatoes, which gradually started coming down, is now being procured from farmers below Rs 10.
Following the fall in prices, this morning, farmers at Palladam Uzhavar Santhai in Tirupur district put a veil on their heads and expressed their anguish.
Farmers at palladam farmers' market said, "Production increased as more and more farmers were engaged in tomato cultivation following the rise in tomato prices. The prices have fallen sharply due to import of tomatoes from neighbouring states as well. They said they had incurred heavy losses as the purchases were made below Rs 10.
Easwaran, tirupur district president of the non-party Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association, said, "Farmers have already been hit hard due to the fall in coconut prices. The Tamil Nadu government did not pay heed to various protests. Now the fall in tomato prices has further affected the farmers. When tomato prices went up, the Tamil Nadu government took steps to procure tomatoes from farmers and sell them through cooperative societies.
Similarly, steps should be taken to procure tomatoes from farmers who are incurring losses due to fall in tomato prices at adequate prices and distribute them to the public, he said. Tomatoes, which were earlier purchased at Rs 10 per kg yesterday, were purchased at Rs 6 today. Following this, the farmers wore veils on their heads and expressed their anguish to inform the Tamil Nadu government.