With tomatoes costing up to Rs 200-250 per kilogram in several parts of the country, the fruit has beaten onions this monsoon season in bringing tears to our eyes, though in some cases they were tears of joy.
Tomatoes made it to the headlines as the price rise paved the way not just for farmers to become crorepatis and thieves to target the new 'gold' but also for bizarre incidents like sellers hiring bouncers to guard the pricey fruit, and a mother asking her 'obedient' daughter returning from Dubai to get 10 kilograms of tomatoes.
Also Read — Lessons in the rise of tomato prices
Here's a look at the profits and plights that followed the tomato price hike across the country:
Tomato millionaires
A farmer from Pune in Maharashtra become a millionaire by selling his bountiful yield of the key kitchen staple for Rs 3 crore in just over a month while overcoming various challenges.
Farmer Ishwar Gaykar (36), from Pachghar village in Junnar tehsil of Pune district, had faced the difficult decision of dumping a large quantity of harvested tomatoes in May this year due to low prices. Undeterred by the setback, he continued to exhibit unwavering determination and work tirelessly on his 12-acre farm to cultivate tomatoes. Gaykar's hard work paid off handsomely, transforming him into a millionaire as he claimed to have earned Rs 3 crore through the sale of his crop yield between June 11 and July 18.
Similarly, in Telangana, a farmer - a Class 10 dropout - hit the jackpot amid rising prices. In just a month, starting from June 15, he amassed Rs 1.8 crore from the sale of tomatoes, Times of India reported.
'Here today, gone tomato'
While some farmers across the nation reaped the benefits, thieves found a new treasure to rob. In Bengaluru, police have arrested a couple from Tamil Nadu who ganged up with three others to steal 2,000 kg of tomatoes worth Rs 3 lakh from a farmer by faking a road accident in the city two weeks ago. In Maharashtra’s Pune, a farmer approached the police, alleging theft of 400 kg of tomatoes, whose prices have skyrocketed across the country in recent weeks. The farmer told the police that he lost nearly Rs 20,000 due to the theft.
In Andhra Pradesh's Annamayya district, a tomato farmer was murdered by unidentified persons to allegedly rob him of the money he fetched by selling tomatoes following a big jump in its prices. Narem Rajasekhar Reddy (62) was found murdered on Wednesday in Bodumalladinne village of Madanapalle mandal.
The skyrocketing prices prompted some to be more vigilant with tomatoes. A vegetable shop owner had deployed bouncers to guard tomatoes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi. However, he and his son were later arrested by the police on various charges including promoting hatred, enmity or ill will between classes.
According to the police sources, one Ajay Yadav alias Ajay Fauji, an alleged Samajwadi Party (SP) worker-turned-vegetable-seller recorded a video of the bouncers guarding tomatoes and posted it on social media platforms as a mark of protest against the price hike.
भाजपा टमाटर को ‘Z PLUS’ सुरक्षा दे. pic.twitter.com/k1oGc3T5LN
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 9, 2023
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, tomato growers have been forced to guard the crop at their farms by setting up tents. Abhilash, a farmer from Neerthadi village in Davangere taluk, has grown tomatoes on two acres of land and has already sold around 50 kg so far. With the price of tomatoes skyrocketing in the market, he is leaving no stone unturned to protect the produce from theft or damage. He is sleeping in a tent set up in his farm at night to ensure that bumper crop is not stolen or damaged.
Generally, the price of a tomato per 25 kg would be around Rs 800 or Rs 1,000 in the market. But this time, it has crossed more than Rs 2,000. “Tomato thefts were reported at Kodaganur and the other villages. So, to avoid such incidents, I am guarding the produce. I will be harvesting around 150 boxes of tomatoes (each box will contain 25 kg) and take them to the market in a few days for sale. I hope the price of tomato will remain high for some more months so that I get a remunerative price for my produce,” Abhilash told DH.
Suitcase of tomatoes from Dubai
The aftermath of soaring tomato prices was not bereft of bizarre stories. Soon after the price skyrocketed, a person in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol reached a police station claiming that his wife left his home after a quarrel over "putting tomatoes" in the food. The man identified as Sandeep Burman, who runs a small dhaba (eatery) in the Dhanpuri area, told the police that he cooked food for tiffin supply and put in two-three tomatoes, which did not go down well with his wife. Using the high-priced (Rs140 per kg) tomatoes resulted in a quarrel between the couple and his wife left the house.
Confirming the incident, Sanjay Jaiswal, in-charge of Dhanpuri police station, said the complainant claimed his wife left their home with their minor daughter as she was upset with him for putting tomatoes in the food. "Complainant said his wife had gone to her sister's home in Umaria district. I have spoken to her in front of Sandeep Burman and she has agreed to return home," Jaiswal added.
In another incident, to fulfil her mother's wish, an obedient daughter flew back to India from Dubai carrying 10 kg of tomatoes in her suitcase. The woman who was coming home to India for holidays asked her mother what she wanted from Dubai, who said tomatoes in response, considered highly valuable these days in the country amid their surging prices.
Sharing the anecdote, the expat's sister, who goes by the name Revs on Twitter, wrote: “My sister is coming to India from Dubai for her children's summer holidays, and she asked my mum if she wanted anything from Dubai and my mother said bring 10 kilos of tomatoes. And so now she has packed 10 kg tomatoes in a suitcase and sent it."
My sister is coming to India from Dubai for her children's summer holidays and she asked my mum if she wanted anything from Dubai and my mother said bring 10 kilos of tomatoes. 😑😑 And so now she has packed 10kg tomatoes in a suitcase and sent it.
— Revs :) (@Full_Meals) July 18, 2023
I mean.......
The prices of tomatoes shot up across the country amid supply chain disruptions due to monsoon rains, and other issues.
The government on Friday said retail prices of tomatoes are expected to fall with a higher supply of new crops from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. "Prices of tomato are expected to come down with the increase in the arrival of new crop from Nashik, Naryangaon and Aurangabad belt in Maharashtra and also from Madhya Pradesh," said Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.
He said the "current increase in tomato prices may incentivise farmers to grow more tomato crop which is expected to stabilise the prices in coming months".
Last week, the Centre slashed the price of tomatoes to Rs 70 per kg. Amid the rising prices, McDonald's had dropped tomatoes from its offerings in some parts of India. Now Subway has taken the same route.