Tomato arrivals hit season’s lowest in Madanapalle, yet prices slip

Tomato arrivals at the Madanapalle wholesale market in Annamayya district plummeted to a mere 45 tonnes on Saturday (January 10), marking the lowest daily arrival recorded so far in the 2025–26 season, according to market officials.

Despite the drastic fall in arrivals, prices remained subdued, projecting weak demand from major consuming markets.

Grade-I tomatoes were sold at ₹30 per kilogram on Saturday, while the second-grade variety was priced at ₹22 per kilogram. Just a week ago, Grade-I tomatoes were selling at around ₹47 per kg, traders said.

Madanapalle, which holds he record as Asia’s largest tomato-growing belt, is currently in the final phase of the Rabi harvesting season. Post-winter crops are still in the seedling stage, and market arrivals are expected to remain thin for at least two more months, until the pre-summer harvest begins.

Market officials attributed the price slump, despite lower supplies, to a sharp decline in inter-State exports. “Tomato cultivation has expanded phenomenally in northern States this year, reducing their dependence on Madanapalle supplies,” a marketing official said.

Farmers added that Tamil Nadu markets are currently flooded with tomatoes from Karnataka, while Hyderabad markets are largely sourcing produce from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. As a result, Madanapalle’s tomato trade is presently confined largely to local markets in Tirupati, Annamayya and Kadapa districts, with only limited quantities being dispatched to Bengaluru and Chennai.

“Yield has dropped drastically, but prices have not responded accordingly. The lack of outside demand is hurting farmers,” said Kokkanti Manju, a tomato grower of Valmikipuram mandal.

Officials observed that prices may remain volatile until fresh harvests enter the market around March.