Peasants incur massive losses for low rate of tomato

BOGRA, Mar 06: Hundreds of tomato peasants of Sherpur upazila in the district have been incurring massive losses this season.

Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said cultivators brought some 1,600 hectares of land under the farming of tomato last winter from where around 1200 tonnes of tomato had been achieved.

A good number of farmers said they have been suffering for the low market rate of tomato. They said they had to spend Tk 250 to Tk 300 to produce a maund of tomato but they are bound to sell the same amount at Tk 70 to Tk 80.

While visiting different kitchen markets on Tuesday, this correspondent found farmers were selling the item at Tk 2.0 to Tk 3.0 per kg. Growers said massive supply and weak preservation facility are the main reasons of this situation.

Farmer Mozammel Haque said he brought 40 decimals of land under tomato farming this season spending Tk 90,000 and earned Tk 30,000 only.

Upazila agriculture officer Sharmin Sultana said tomato was produced massive in the area due to favourable weather. The farmers got good market price early of the season but price later dropped with an increase in supply.

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