Potential Tomato Shortage Looms In Maharashtra Amid Central Government’s Procurement Drive

Pune, 13th July 2023: The central government has taken steps to mitigate the tomato shortage and price hike in Delhi by instructing the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) to immediately procure tomatoes from market committees in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. However, concerns have been raised that increased central procurement may exacerbate the shortage within Maharashtra.

The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has directed NAFED and NCCF to procure tomatoes from market committees in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The purchased tomatoes will be sold at discounted rates through sales centers in Delhi and its surrounding areas. The discounted tomato sale is scheduled to begin on Friday, June 14, in Delhi. However, this move may potentially create further scarcity in Maharashtra.

Tomato production is distributed across all states in the country, with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh accounting for over 55 percent of the total tomato production. The tomato harvesting period varies by state, with December to February being the main season. Low tomato production is typically observed during July-August and October-November, coinciding with the monsoon season when harvesting and transportation become challenging.

The procurement will primarily focus on Satara, Narayangaon, and Nashik in Maharashtra, as these regions supply tomatoes to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and other states. Additionally, purchases will be made from Madanapalli (Chittoor) in Andhra Pradesh and Kolar in Karnataka. New tomato crops are expected to arrive soon from the Nashik district. The central government anticipates that rates will decrease in the near future with additional supplies expected from the Narayangaon and Aurangabad belts in August.

However, concerns have been raised about the potential disruption in the supply chain if massive procurement begins immediately. Vilas Bhujbal, former President of the Adte Association at Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard in Pune, warns that such disruptions could further exacerbate the shortage and increase the price of tomatoes within Maharashtra.

Moreover, the inflow of tomatoes from Karnataka and southern states has already slowed down.