In yet another example of systemic failure in agricultural policy, a tomato farmer in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, earned just ₹75 after selling 750 kg of produce, a shocking outcome that exposes the utter neglect of farmers in India.
Prakash, a farmer from Anupshahr, brought 30 crates of tomatoes (25 kg each) to the Naveen Phal-Sabzi Mandi. Each crate was sold at a humiliating rate of ₹25, or just ₹1 per kg. Wouldn’t be wrong to say, it’s not even enough to buy a cup of tea.
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From the ₹750 he earned, ₹600 went into transportation and ₹75 on labour, leaving him with virtually nothing for his backbreaking work. Even the remaining ₹75 was spent on travel back to his village.
Such prices are not just unsustainable, they’re insulting. For the past month, tomato farmers in the region have faced similar conditions, forced to either throw away their produce or hand it out for free after 8:30 AM, when buyers simply stop showing up. Despite producing a perishable essential food crop, farmers are treated like an afterthought in the market system.
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The crisis was triggered by an oversupply due to sudden temperature spikes that caused mass ripening. Yet, no system was in place to regulate market inflow or support farmers during glut periods. The mandi is flooded with over 2,000 crates daily, far beyond its capacity of 1,000-1,200, leading to a price crash that no one in power seems bothered to address.
Where is the promised Minimum Support Price? Where is the procurement mechanism when farmers need it the most?
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If this continues, more farmers will abandon tomato cultivation altogether. The government cannot claim to support “Annadatas” while letting them starve in broad daylight.
यूपी : बुलंदशहर जिले की मंडी में एक किसान 750 किलो टमाटर बेचने पहुंचा। टमाटर 1 रुपए किलो के हिसाब से 750 रुपए का बिका। खेत से मंडी तक टमाटर को लाने में भाड़ा खर्च हुआ 600 रुपए। 75 रुपए मजदूरी भी दी। किसान को बचे सिर्फ 75 रुपए। ऐसे में किसान टमाटर फेंकने को मजबूर है।… pic.twitter.com/N1pgQbGGrZ
— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) April 21, 2025
