Andhra Pradesh Tomato Farmers Face Devastating Price Collapse After Bumper Harvest
In a tragic reversal of fortune, tomato farmers across Andhra Pradesh are experiencing severe financial distress as what should have been a prosperous season has turned into one of despair and mounting losses. A remarkably successful harvest, initially viewed as a blessing, has triggered a catastrophic price crash in local markets, leaving growers struggling to recover even a fraction of their substantial investments.
Market Flooded by Massive Production
Large-scale cultivation efforts in the Chittoor and Madanapalle regions, combined with heavy arrivals from Krishna, NTR, Guntur, and West Godavari districts, have completely overwhelmed local market capacities. This sudden and unprecedented glut of tomatoes has pulled prices down to alarmingly low levels that fail to cover basic production expenses.
Farmers who invested approximately ₹40,000 per acre for cultivation now face total costs nearing ₹65,000 per acre when accounting for pesticides, fertilizers, and labor expenses. Despite achieving encouraging yields of 15 to 20 tonnes per acre, the market returns have been financially devastating.
Prices Plummet Below Sustainable Levels
The current market reality shows a 25 kg crate of tomatoes fetching barely ₹200, which translates to less than ₹10 per kilogram at the farm gate. This represents less than half of what farmers need to break even on their investments. The situation has become so dire that many growers are now reluctant to harvest their crops, fearing that additional labor and transportation costs would only deepen their losses.
"Tomato cultivation became a loss-making venture this year," explained Pulluru Subba Reddy, a farmer from Reddy Gudem in NTR district. "We faced severe pest attacks that required heavy pesticide expenditures, and the 2025 cyclones damaged our crops significantly. Despite overcoming these challenges to achieve good yields, the market collapse has been so severe that we cannot recover even 50 percent of our investment."
Crisis Extends Beyond Tomatoes
The agricultural distress is not confined to tomatoes alone. Other vegetables are experiencing similar price pressures, with bottle gourd selling at ₹6 per kg and okra at ₹20 per kg, while retail prices in urban areas remain nearly double these farm-gate rates. This significant price disparity highlights systemic issues in agricultural marketing channels.
"There is a huge gap between what we receive for our produce and what consumers ultimately pay," noted Kumara Swamy from Nandigama, who attributes the problem to bulk arrivals and inadequate direct marketing opportunities for farmers.
Farmers Resort to Desperate Measures
With no prospect of remunerative prices appearing in formal markets, many farmers have begun selling vegetables by the roadside in desperate attempts to minimize their losses. This stark reality serves as a powerful reminder that agricultural abundance without corresponding market support mechanisms can be economically devastating for those who produce our food.
The current crisis underscores deeper structural challenges in Andhra Pradesh's agricultural sector, where production successes can paradoxically lead to financial ruin when market systems fail to provide fair returns to farmers. As growers face mounting debts and uncertain futures, the need for comprehensive market interventions and sustainable pricing mechanisms has never been more urgent.
