KURNOOL: After Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s intervention, tomato trading is back on track on Saturday at Pathikonda Market Yard in Kurnool district where farmers threw their produce on the road on Friday after prices dropped to mere Rs 1 per kg.
After reports of the troubles of tomato farmers, including very less prices and non-availability of official trading mechanism at the Pathikonda Government Agriculture Market Yard, the Chief Minister conducted a review meeting with the officials concerned and directed them to take steps to stabilise tomato prices. He also directed the officials to purchase the farmers’ produce if the traders are not ready to buy it. Accordingly, district officials offered a minimum support price of Rs 6 per kg, depending on the quality of tomatoes. The best quality tomatoes were sold at Rs 19 per kg. Officials said nearly 100 metric tonnes of tomatoes, including Friday’s stock, were completely sold out at the market on Saturday.
According to official sources, the Chief Minister also told officials of Kurnool district to visit the market yard and interact with the farmers to know their problems. The government has de-regulated fruits and vegetables so that the farmers can sell them without paying market fee and agent commission.
Earlier in the day, agents tried to buy tomatoes outside the market to foil the steps taken by the authorities. However, the farmers refused their proposal. Pathikonda Market Yard authorities kept a close tab on tomato sale at the market. The police were also given orders to file FIRs against the agents who are harassing farmers. The new measures taken by the government has forced the agents to purchase tomatoes at the market yard itself.
Agriculture marketing regional joint director Sudhakar said the prices ranged between Rs 6 and Rs 19 a kg of tomatoes, according to quality. He also visited the market yard and monitored the tomato trading.
Later, Sudhakar told the media that about 100 metric tonnes of tomatoes were sold at the market on the day. The State government purchased eight tonnes of tomatoes from the farmers with the price stabilisation funds.
Meanwhile, the joint director blamed the four buyers in the town for the whole mess. “Unlike other markets such as Madanapalle, where there are more buyers, Pathikonda market has been monopolised by these four buyers,” he added. The police filed FIRs against the four buyers for breach of trust as they refused to buy tomatoes from the market.
Meanwhile, former deputy chief minister KE Krishna Murthy, TDP Pathikonda in-charge KE Shyam Babu, BJP leader E Ranga Gowda and Congress leader B Kranti Naidu visited the yard and interacted with farmers. Krishna Murthy alleged that the YSRC government has failed to solve the farmers’ problems. He urged the government to fix Rs 10 a kg as minimum support price for tomatoes.