Tomato Prices Fall 65% : Tomato prices have witnessed a sharp decline within a week at the Pimpalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Maharashtra's Nashik district. According to media reports, the average wholesale price of a 20-kg crate stood at Rs 321 on October 12 but fell to just Rs 111 by Monday. This represents a decline of approximately 65%. The price crash has increased concerns among farmers already struggling with rising cultivation costs and drought-like conditions.
Tomatoes Become Cheaper in Retail Markets
The fall in wholesale prices is also being reflected in retail markets. In Nashik, tomatoes were selling for around Rs 20 per kg on Monday, compared with approximately Rs 40 per kg a week earlier. This amounts to a retail price decline of about 50%. However, retailers may take one or two days to reflect wholesale price changes in their selling rates. Traders say that if the current trend continues, consumers could find tomatoes even cheaper in the coming days.
Thousands of Crates Arrive Daily
According to an APMC official, around 300,000 to 375,000 crates of tomatoes have been arriving at the Pimpalgaon market every day over the past week. Demand has remained weak despite the substantial increase in supply. This imbalance has put further pressure on prices. On Monday, prices ranged from Rs 20 to Rs 331 per crate, depending on quality. Poor-quality tomatoes reportedly sold for as little as Re 1 per kg, while better-quality produce fetched up to around Rs 16.55 per kg.
Higher Temperatures Speed Up Ripening
Traders and market officials say rising temperatures have caused tomatoes to ripen earlier than usual. As a result, larger quantities of the crop have reached the market at the same time, increasing overall availability. Meanwhile, demand has not strengthened enough to absorb the additional supply. Farmers are particularly concerned because expenses related to seeds, fertilisers, labour and irrigation remain high. When selling prices fall below the level needed to cover production costs, farm incomes can suffer significantly.
Weak Demand Deepens Farmers' Concerns
Market officials said trading activity remained subdued during Navratri, when several wholesale markets were closed. Export demand has also reportedly remained weak. Meanwhile, major consuming states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh have increasingly met their requirements through local supplies, reducing their dependence on tomatoes from Nashik. Traders fear that prices could fall further if arrivals remain high and demand continues to be sluggish.
