Tomato Prices Crash To ₹100–150 per Box, Tamil Nadu Farmers Stop Harvest As Losses Mount

Chennai: Tomato farmers in Tamil Nadu are facing a serious crisis as prices have fallen sharply. In many wholesale markets, rates have dropped to very low levels, making it difficult for farmers to even recover their basic costs.

Due to this, many farmers have stopped harvesting their crops and are leaving tomatoes in the fields to avoid further losses.

Oversupply Hits the Market

The main reason for the price crash is excess supply. Large quantities of tomatoes have arrived from different growing regions at the same time, leading to oversupply in markets.

This sudden increase in supply has pushed prices down quickly, catching farmers unprepared during the peak harvest season.

Farmers Facing Heavy Losses

In major growing areas like Dindigul, tomato prices have dropped to single digits per kilogram. A standard 14-kg box is now selling for just ₹100 to ₹150, compared to ₹400–₹600 a few weeks ago.

At the same time, labour costs remain high, with daily wages around ₹400. Harvesting costs are about ₹80 per box, which means farmers are not even recovering basic expenses.

Because of this, many farmers have stopped plucking tomatoes to reduce further losses.

Situation in Other Districts

The crisis is also visible in Dharmapuri, where prices have slightly improved to ₹13–₹15 per kg after recent rains reduced supply. However, farmers say the market is still unstable.

In Tiruchirappalli, especially in the Marungapuri area, farmers have also stopped harvesting. The cost of plucking and transport is around ₹3,000 per acre, which is too high compared to current returns.

Need for Long-Term Solutions

Experts say such price crashes happen often and farmers need better support. They suggest improving storage facilities, supply chain systems, and introducing price support measures.

These steps can help farmers avoid losses and ensure stable income even when market prices fall suddenly.