Shillong, July 8: Farmers in Karnataka are facing a significant increase in tomato prices, leading to a surge in thefts as miscreants attempt to capitalize on the lucrative market. With prices reaching Rs 100 and even Rs 150 per kilogram, farmers are taking extreme measures to safeguard their crops.
In districts like Kolar and Hassan, where tomatoes are cultivated in large quantities, farmers are resorting to sleeping in their fields and taking turns to guard their ready-to-harvest crops. The situation is worsened by the ongoing monsoon rains, adding to the farmers’ woes.
To monitor the movement of people and vehicles near their fields, farmers have set up tents as a precautionary measure. They remain especially vigilant during the early hours when thefts are more likely to occur. The high demand for tomatoes has resulted in a single box fetching prices between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000, enabling some farmers to earn lakhs from their bountiful harvests.
It is worth noting that farmers have experienced years of low prices for their tomato crops, often resorting to drastic measures such as dumping their produce on roads and highways in protest. Transportation costs frequently exceeded their earnings, leaving them in financial distress. However, the current surge in prices has brought about a new concern—theft of their valuable crops.
As per IANS, a recent incident in Hassan district exemplifies the severity of the issue. A farmer named Dharani, also known as Somashekar, filed a police complaint alleging that tomatoes worth Rs 3 lakh were stolen from his farm in Goni Somanahalli village near Halebeedu town. The theft occurred overnight on July 6.
Authorities reported that the thieves made off with 90 boxes of tomatoes from Dharani’s two-acre plot, which were valued at Rs 3 lakh. The skyrocketing prices, particularly for top-quality tomatoes, have attracted criminals seeking to profit from the market boom. Additionally, the burglars caused damage to the tomato plants during the theft, further compounding the farmer’s losses.
When Dharani visited his farm the next morning, the incident came to light, leaving him devastated. “I have been growing tomatoes for seven to eight years, but I never received a good price for the crop,” he lamented. “This year, I finally had a successful harvest and favorable prices. I had hoped to clear my loans, but this incident has shattered my happiness.”
The increasing frequency of tomato thefts poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of farmers in Karnataka. Addressing this issue requires collaborative efforts from local authorities, farmers, and communities to ensure the security and prosperity of the agricultural sector.