Overview
- Wholesale prices have fallen to about Rs 100–150 per 14‑kg box, with some Dindigul markets reporting single‑digit rupees per kg.
- Growers in multiple Tamil Nadu districts have suspended picking and left ripe tomatoes in fields to avoid additional losses.
- Farmers cite costs such as roughly Rs 400 daily wages, about Rs 80 per box to harvest, and near Rs 3,000 per acre for plucking and transport.
- Oversupply from several growing regions triggered the crash, though Dharmapuri and Andhra Pradesh’s Madanapalle hub show modest recoveries to roughly Rs 13–15/kg and Rs 11–14/kg.
- Expanded acreage after earlier good returns has magnified losses, as officials report stable weather and experts urge cold storage, coordinated marketing and price‑support tools.