Price instability affecting tomato growers, consumers

HYDERABAD: The seasonal cost uncertainty associated with the perishable tomato crop is influencing both farmers and also customers alike.

Tomato customers are required to pay high prices due to require and provide inequalities, while farmers experience when imports are enabled to stabilise market prices.

Growing of the tomato crop is currently tough for farmers like Suraya Lashari, proprietor of a tiny parcel in Mirpur Sakro, Thatta. She concedes getting fair returns, but rates can drop considerably that may leave her hugely disappointed.

“As rates drop we let the livestock forage tomato fields or even plough the land while the crop is still there as choosing after that ends up being a concern,” she laments.

Imran Bozdar, a reasonably huge landowner from Sanghar, agrees with her.

Tomato has back-to-back plant cycles in Sindh and remains offered out there almost round the year. According to him, consumers endure when costs go beyond their reach while farmers are at the shedding end when rates plunge due to the vegetable’s import.

Sindh is the largest tomato-producing province as the standard of three years (2015-16 to 2017-18) reveals that it had 34.5 pc share in the nation’s total tomato production (600,000 tonnes) complied with by Punjab with 18.4 computer, stated a provincial farming official pricing quote Pakistan Bureau of Data figures.

Early tomato cultivation and production occurs in Mirpur Khas, Badin and Tando Mohammad Khan districts. The crop is collected in October there while Tando Allahyar, Matiari, Hyderabad as well as Thatta gather the plant by late Feb to April.

“In January we obtained a price of Rs20-Rs25 per kg, however it went down to Rs10. We are not harvesting the crop as picking charges are unnecessary price given the rate pattern. Sometimes we pay transportation fees without gaining anything,” regrets Naseema, Suraya’s neighbor.

In 2015 in September, downpours significantly damaged the plant in Mirpur Khas although it was to be harvested in October. The area where plant survived rains was marketed amidst shortage, compeling the federal government to allow imports in November.

“In October the rate was as high as Rs130 per kg in the mandi because of demand and also supply phenomenon. Leaving out Rs30 per kg expense of production, the luckiest among farmers saved Rs800,000 (100 bags of 10kg fruit and vegetables from an acre in multiple pickings). Consumers did pay Rs200 per kg”, Bozdar states.

“The opposite side of the story is that now I am not able to even recover my production expense. I am not collecting the plant and rather permitting anybody who may desire it to get it from my land or I will certainly use it as organic matter throughout ploughing of land,” he states.

The excess in market was for three factors. Those who lost the crop to the rains chose late sowing and the plant from areas like Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Matiari and Thatta where it is sown late got to the marketplace last month. Then imports continued till January.

Expenditures on tomato growing range Rs120,000- Rs130,000 per acre depending on cost of essential inputs like imported crossbreed seeds at an expense of Rs15,000 to Rs20,000, tilling, choosing, transportation of produce to market, etc. A payment representative fees 8pc-10pc cost to take care of public auction price in the asset market. Retail vendors then include their price for customers depending on area where a market is located.

Rozi Khan, a dealer in Mirpursarkro, claims growers that obtained arrive on a legal basis to create tomato have borne a cumulative loss of Rs18 million in between January-March. “Imports from Iran resulted in decreasing price fad. I guess there will be a great deal for consumers as well as cultivators if wholesale rate keeps between Rs50-Rs60 per kg,” he claims.

Way onward?

According to Mehmood Nawaz Shah, vice president of the Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB), approximately imports of tomato worth billions of rupees is seen this period.

“Tomato is a disposable and delicate plant; consequently we ought to opt for worth addition with research study to guarantee a sustainable revenue for farmers as well as rate security out there,” he states.

He also wrote to the Ministry of National Food Safety And Security in Dec 2020 that food safety and security can only be made sure via viable domestic tomato production hence imports have to be stopped.

All Pakistan Fruit, Veggie and Merchants Organization Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed explains that tomato in Pakistan does not have quality that is to be utilized for value enhancement. “I myself producing tomato paste yet its not competitive globally,” he admits.

He requires different change as well as given climate adjustment sensation we also require to see whether we can safeguard it against rainfalls which are seriously detrimental for this sensitive crop. We ought to additionally discover alternate places where tomato can be expanded to prevent rains in summer season otherwise rainfalls are long-term phenomenon,” he says.

Research study is required, he states, to come up with those seeds that have shelf life and create quality paste through processing.

Tags: tomato