For once, nature's bounty has become a bane for farmers and boon for homemakers in Ranchi.
Surplus yield of tomatoes in these demonetised times is forcing farmers of Bero, Mandar and Pithoria to sell their juicy produce at throwaway prices in the capital.
The culinary vegetable (botanically, a fruit) is available for as low as Rs 4 per kg in wholesale markets while the retail price has plummeted from Rs 18-20 a kg a month ago to Rs 8-10 a kg now because of a grave supply-demand mismatch triggered by cash crunch in the market.
In Jharkhand, tomatoes are grown in the vegetable belts of Ranchi, Lohardaga, Hazaribagh and Chaibasa. According to K.K. Jha, a horticultural scientist at Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Kanke, the total tomato yield is around 13.5 lakh metric tonnes this year against 11 lakh metric tonnes last time.
"Production is surplus, but the demand in market is limited because people are rationing their kitchen needs because of the cash crisis. Farmers have little choice but to sell their produce at throwaway rates because tomato is a perishable item," Jha explained how demonetisation had altered market dynamics.
Vinod Kumar, a vegetable vendor at Lalpur market, said he had stocked five quintals from the wholesale haat of Makhmandro near Pandra.
"Farmers are selling tomatoes at Rs 4 a kg. They don't have easy access to banks and are in dire need of cash to run their families. The bumper crop has made their labour dirt cheap," Vinod said, adding that he was extending the price advantage to his buyers. "For the past week, I am selling tomatoes at Rs 8-10 a kilo, half the usual rate."
Vijay Gupta, another vendor in Lalpur, said 50 trucks of tomatoes arrived at Makhmandro haat every day, but at least 10 trucks were surplus. "Farmers have been hit bad. They cannot stock tomatoes on their own and hence, are selling their produce to middlemen too at very low prices," Gupta said.
Homemakers are pleasantly surprised.
Namita Singh, a resident of Circular Road, said she was thrilled to buy 5kg tomatoes for just Rs 50. "The best part is I spent five Rs 10 coins on the purchase. My purse is lighter for good. Tomatoes add great taste to every curry, especially in winter," she beamed.
