Hyderabad: While farmers are tossing their tomato crop in the garbage at markets due to the lack of minimum support price, the retail price of tomatoes is Rs 20 per kilo against the Rs 2 per kilo in the wholesale market.
On Thursday, the price of local tomato was Rs 2 per kilo, non-local was Rs 3 per kilo, and hybrid (Tomato-618 variety) at Rs 4 per kilo in the wholesale market. But retailers sold all varieties at Rs 20 per kg.
On Wednesday, a farmer from Anantapur district threw away his stock at Bowenpally market as he could not get even Rs 3 per kilo. Commission agents demanded Rs 2 per kilo. While farmers are losing, commission agents and retailers are benefiting.
J.Srinivas, a vegetable retailer, said that the price at wholesale markets was reasonable but malpractices by the commission agents forced retailers to increase prices. “I purchased two quintals of tomato from Bowenpally market. But later I found it weighed 20 kg less. Since there is no grading system at markets, we sell the grade-II stock to hotels for Rs 10 per kg, and the grade-I in weekend markets. After adding our profits, wastage and transportation charges, the price of grade-I rises to Rs 20,” he said.
An official responsible for wholesale markets, however, denied any such wrongdoing.
