Keonjhar District growers have had a very good harvest of tomatoes this season. However, they are resorting to distress sales due to a lack of marketing facilities and cold storage in the district. As a result, the farmers are being deprived of fair prices. Things have come to such a pass that now farmers are selling a 25 kg crate of tomatoes for only Rs 150. The bumper harvest has been possible due to the support of the Horticulture and Agriculture departments.
Currently, they are harvesting around 10,000 tons of tomatoes, but a major chunk of these remain unsold and will be lost. Growers have been demanding the construction of a cold storage facility in the area to store perishable produce and sell it in lean seasons to do away with the distress sale, but their demands are yet to be addressed.
Source: orissapost.com