Tomato price crash forces farmers to dump produce

Hosapete (Vijayanagara): Tomato prices across markets in Vijayanagara district have crashed to rock-bottom levels, forcing distressed farmers to dump their produce or divert it for use as livestock feed.The sharp fall in prices is being attributed to disruptions in export markets due to ongoing Iran-related geopolitical tensions, which have hit overseas demand. This, coupled with volatility in local markets, has led to a steep drop in consumption, with traders reluctant to procure large quantities.Marigouda Patil, a farmer from Kottur, said returns have fallen so sharply that growers are unable to recover even basic cultivation costs. In many cases, transportation expenses to the market yard exceed the sale price, discouraging farmers from bringing their produce to the market.The Hosapete APMC yard continues to witness heavy arrivals from major tomato-growing taluks such as Harapanahalli, Huvina Hadagali, Kottur, Kudligi and Hagaribommanahalli. However, limited buyer interest has left large quantities unsold, aggravating the crisis, said APMC secretary Siddayya Swamy.With no viable market, several farmers have begun offloading tomatoes along roadsides or supplying them directly to livestock owners. In areas including Jambunathan Halli and Rayara Kere, tractor-loads of tomatoes are being dumped into sheep enclosures and used as fodder for goats, sheep and cattle.Sources said multiple tractor-loads are being transported daily from the APMC yard to nearby sheep-rearing centres as farmers attempt to salvage whatever little value they can instead of letting the produce go to waste.The situation has worsened due to a decline in institutional demand, with hotels cutting back on purchases and procurement for tomato-based processing slowing significantly.