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Rise in global temperatures takes toll on tomato farmers and wholesale dealers in India

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Tainan, Taiwan
February 13, 2009

Source: AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center Newsletter

The poorest populations of the poorest countries face the concentrated challenge of tackling the worst impacts of climate change with the least capacity. The rise in global temperatures now has started to take a toll on tomato
farmers and wholesale dealers in the Indian states of Ishwariganj and Pratapur. More than 25,000 tomato farmers have incurred severe losses due to the premature ripening of the fruit, as the early massive output peak affects markets. The sudden overabundance of ripe tomatoes lowers the revenues of farmers and
retailers alike. Tomato brought in more than Rs 1,200 (ca. 24.50 US $) per quintal (100 kg) last year; it is now
sold for less than Rs 50/quintal. Under normal conditions, a mere 30-40 percent of the total crop is ready to enter the market at the same time of the year. This year, around 80 percent of the produce already has been sold to avoid rotting.

Early ripening was caused by the unusual weather conditions during the last several months, with extreme heat during the day and cold temperatures at night. If the weather persists, the entire local harvest may be exhausted in 15 days, leading to shortages thereafter.

The early ripening has another side effect: Shorter shelf life. In previous years a significant portion of the
tomato harvest was sold to neighboring states. Now, the majority is consumed locally. “In our view, there is a need to adjust the package of practices to cope with global warming, the impact of which we are already witnessing,” says Dr. Madan Chadha, director of the Regional Center for South Asia (AVRDC-RCSA) in Hyderabad.

“There is a challenge to develop varieties suited to such conditions, including strengthening the market chain, and introducing postharvest handling and processing technologies.”

Smallholder farmers have been severely hit by the lowest prices in the last five years, and are unable to
recover even 25 percent of their investments. Farmers are calling for government initiatives, and have announced that they will shift to other crops such as wheat as an alternative. While producers face a severe threat to their livelihoods, the middlemen seem to be riding out the rough weather quite well: Market prices are hovering around Rs 6-8/kg for tomato, but middlemen are fetching prices unchanged, at Rs 12/kg.

Further reading:
“Early ripening leaves tomato farmer redfaced”,
Business Standard, 29 Jan 2009
http://www.business-standard.com

 

 

 

 

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