Unable to get remunerative price, farmer dumps tomatoes in market

Rayalaseema, December 21 : Heartbroken over not getting a remunerative price, a farmer dumped two tonnes of tomatoes in a market and returned home empty handed.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at Boenpally market in Secunderabad here.

A farmer brought tomatoes in a truck from Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh in the hope of getting some remunerative price. However, the traders offered him not more than Rs 2 per kg. The farmer was shocked as this would not even get him the money to meet the transport cost.

With nobody ready to pay more than Rs 2 a kg, the angry farmer dumped the truck load in the market and left. Some vendors were seen picking up tomatoes from the heap.

The farmer had come to Hyderabad as the price of tomatoes has come down drastically in the markets in Anantapur and other districts in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh over the last few weeks.

This is attributed to more production of tomatoes coupled with the impact of demonetization. The farmers in Madanpalli market in Chittoor district and other markets in Rayalaseema are not finding buyers for their produce due to currency shortage.

Farmers growing onions, tomatoes and other vegetables have suffered huge losses due to the fall in demand in the wake of scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.