Falling tomato arrivals lift prices in Andhra Pradesh ahead of festivals
Tomato arrivals at Madanapalle’s major market fell to 62 tonnes on September 30 from 88 tonnes a day earlier, pushing up prices. Traders expect demand linked to Dasara, Diwali and Ayyappa Deeksha to keep retail prices near or above ₹50 a kilogram.
Tomato prices have continued to rise in Andhra Pradesh’s Rayalaseema region as supplies reaching the Madanapalle market declined. The Agricultural Market Committee recorded arrivals of only 62 tonnes on Wednesday, September 30, compared with 88 tonnes on Tuesday. The Madanapalle market in Annamayya district is described as Asia’s largest tomato market.
First-grade tomatoes were quoted at ₹410 for 10 kilogrammes, compared with ₹330 on September 29. Second-grade produce sold for ₹200 to ₹290, while the last grade was quoted at ₹260. Retail prices in Madanapalle, Kadapa, Tirupati and Kurnool ranged from ₹45 to ₹50 a kilogram.
The market normally handles between 900 and 1,300 tonnes a day during the peak season and records about ₹350 crore in annual trade. Traders attributed the current lean arrivals to adverse climatic conditions and increased harvesting ahead of festivals. Madanapalle and nearby Punganur supply tomatoes to Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi and other states.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 tonnes are transported from the area each week. Traders said demand from other states during Dasara, Diwali and the Ayyappa Deeksha season could keep local prices at around ₹50 a kilogram or higher unless arrivals improve. Farmers said current prices were remunerative compared with last year, but retail prices did not fully reach producers after commission, transport costs and wastage.
The market has experienced sharp swings: first-grade tomatoes reached ₹1,400 per 10-kilogram box in June 2023, while prices fell to ₹9 a kilogram last year.
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