Srinagar, July 15: Farmers from central Kashmir’s Budgam district are getting double returns for their tomato produce this year owing to shortage of tomatoes in markets.
Farmers said that their produce has increased due to several technological interventions like high-tech poly houses they have installed in farms leading to a bumper harvest.
Khursheed Ahmad Bhat, a farmer from Narkara village said he has started harvesting the tomato produce some twenty days back and has so far sold six quintals.
“When I started selling my produce there was already a shortage of tomatoes. I sold one kilogram of tomato at Rs 100, Rs 120, Rs 115 and the highest was at Rs 170 three days back. This year I have got four times the rate than the previous years,” he said.
The progressive farmer said last year he sold one kg of tomato highest at Rs 70 and then Rs 25-30. “These, I am getting a number of calls from shopkeepers and hotels and they are ready to pay Rs 190 for one kg,” he said.
Khursheed grows tomatoes on one kanal of land in three high-tech greenhouses. He planted the tomato in the first week of May and now he is reaping the success of his hard work.
“In the green houses the quality of the produce remains good and diseases also don’t affect the produce unlike the open cultivation,” he said.
The passionate farmer said these days there is a shortage of tomatoes in markets and many people have approached him to buy them.
Apart from tomatoes, he also grows brinjal, capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower and other vegetables. He owns a total of 25 kanals of land and has been working over the past several years. “I earn a good income. If youth can work on agriculture they can earn a profitable income,” he said.
In view of bumper production of tomato crop at Narkara village farmers are being approached at source by consumers to purchase the produce resulting in best price realization. There are many other farmers in the district who have sold seasonal tomato produce at good prices this year.
Chief Agriculture Officer Budgam, Tafazul Madni said the department has taken several measures including installation of high-tech poly houses that are given on subsidized rates.
“Many farmers were motivated and have also installed the high-tech poly houses on their own. There are many progressive farmers who have installed these poly houses,” he said.
The CAO said the tomato produce of the poly houses is fetching sales like hot cakes and farmers get consumers soon after they harvest the produce.
“There is one woman farmer in Soibugh. She also has a high-tech poly house and sells tomatoes for Rs 150 a kg these days,” he said. Madni said most of the farmers in the district prefer organic farming and reap the success.
The supply of tomatoes to Kashmir’s fruit mandis has been affected like other parts of the country as the price of one kilogram of tomato has touched huge prices. The huge spike in tomato prices across the country and in Jammu and Kashmir has been caused due to floods in Himachal Pradesh.
