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Journalism of Courage
Vegetable prices, particularly that of tomatoes and onions, are unlikely to hugely affect consumers this summer. Farmers indicate that increased sowing will ensure better availability from the country’s main vegetable-growing regions in Maharashtra. While high temperatures could pose risks to crops, anticipated rains may alleviate concerns among farmers. Overall, the outlook for vegetable supply and prices remains optimistic.
Ajit Gholap, a tomato grower from Junnar taluka in the Pune district, stated that due to the favourable prices tomatoes fetched last year, growers have increased their sowing area for the summer tomato crop. “Last year, farmers were able to secure good prices for their summer harvest. I do not anticipate any shortage of crops this summer,” he said. Farmers like Gholap typically plant crops in February and begin harvesting in April. This summer crop lasts until July or September, after which the kharif crop is planted.
Summer tomatoes, which are retailing at Rs 20-Rs 25/kg in most markets across metro cities, are cultivated in regions where water is available or where farmers have access to irrigation. Due to favourable rainfall, most reservoirs currently have enough water for irrigation, which can be used during the growth phase of the crop.
The transplanting window for summer tomatoes is still open, and farmers across India have transplanted their summer crop over 2.41 lakh hectares, compared to 2.50 lakh hectares last year. With the transplant window still open, the country is expected not only to surpass last year’s figures but also to meet the target of 3.24 lakh hectares, as per the minutes of meeting of the Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Overall, vegetable growers in Maharashtra have reported favourable sowing conditions. The major vegetable-growing districts include Pune, Ahmednagar, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, and parts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Most dams in these areas have sufficient water supply.
Gholap said many farmers who cultivate sugarcane have planted tomatoes after harvesting them. “There is a strong possibility of a price slump in June and July due to excess production,” he said.
Currently, onion prices are declining across metro cities as farmers are compelled to sell their harvest at rates ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,550 per quintal in most wholesale markets. In retail markets, onions are being sold for between Rs 25 and Rs 35 per kg in many metropolitan areas.
Last year, onions were cultivated on over 9.05 lakh hectares, while this year, they have been sown on approximately 10.31 lakh hectares, surpassing the target of 10.29 lakh hectares. As a result, onions are expected to be readily available, and most trade sources do not foresee any price increases under normal conditions.
One factor that can lead to vegetable price inflation is the current temperature trends. Most regions have reported temperatures ranging from 38 to 40 degrees Celsius. If these high temperatures persist for 10 to 15 consecutive days, both stored onions and standing vegetable crops could suffer from heat stress.
Vilas Bhujbal, a commission agent working out of Pune’s wholesale market, said the arrival of vegetables might be affected from this month onwards. “Vegetables grown in protected poly houses would be able to survive in this heat but that is only 1 per cent of the cultivation. Due to temperatures consistently exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, farmers are unable to water their crops regularly for fear of heat strokes and arrivals will be low for a while,” he added.
However, with rain and cloudy skies anticipated to provide some relief, most farmers are not overly concerned.
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