NE NEWS SERVICE
COIMBATORE, JUNE 24
Tomato, brinjal and bhendi are the major vegetables consumed in Tamil Nadu. In recent days, wholesale prices of these seasonal vegetables have declined sharply by up to 60 per cent across the country, mainly due to higher production, compression of demand and market disruption amidst COVID-19 crisis, said a release from the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University here on Tuesday.
However, the retail prices of most vegetables remained firm due to containment and disruption in supply chain, said the university.
Vegetable arrivals were relatively high during this year. Though demand remained low due to COVID19 as hotels, hostels, marriage and other function limited to large extent, but panic buying of these vegetables made the retail price firm.
At present in Coimbatore wholesale market, 60 percent of vegetables (Tomato and Bhendi) arrived from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Now vegetable movement to Kerala is also permitted and around 30 percent of the vegetables are transported from Coimbatore to Kerala daily.
In Tamil Nadu, peak market arrivals of tomato is periodic i.e. June-July arrival (Chitiraipattam sowing crop) and October – November arrival (Adipattam sowing crop).
At present in the tomato arrivals to Coimbatore are from Semmedu, Kinathukadavu, Thondamuthur, Nachipalayam, Alandurai and also from state of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Aadipattam is an important cropping season for brinjal under rainfed system and the South West Monsoon determines the production of crops sown during this season.
The major brinjal producing districts are Salem, Dindigul, Vellore and Krishnagiri. As per trade sources, current arrivals are from around Coimbatore Theni and from Mysore district of Karnataka. Bhendi is mostly cultivated during June to August (Adipattam) and in February (Thai pattam). It is largely grown in Thalaivasal and Magudanchavadi blocks of Salem, Karamadai, Periyanayakkanpalayam and Thondamuthur blocks of Coimbatore, Andipatti block of Theni and Vaiyampatti block of Trichy district. As per the trade sources, most of bhendi arrivals are from Hosur, Pollachi, Oddanchatiram and Udumalpet to Coimbatore market.
The TN-IAM Project funded Price Forecasting Scheme of the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University analyzed the past 12 years prices of tomato, brinjal and bhendi that prevailed in Oddanchathiram, Trichy and Coimbatore Uzhavarshandies.
As per the results of the analysis, the farm gate price of good quality tomato during harvest (August to September) would be around
Rs.16-18 per kg. Farm gate prices of good quality brinjal will rule around Rs. 20-23per kg and bhendi will rule around Rs. 15-17 per kg respectively.
Based on the onset of the South West Monsoon in the ensuing season, there will be little fluctuations in vegetable prices. Hence, farmers are advised to take up sowing decision accordingly, the release said.
For further the university can be contacted at the following:
The Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell,
Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore – 641 003.
Phone: 0422-2431405
For technical details:
The Professor and Head,
Department of Vegetable crops,
Horticultural college & Research Institute,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore – 641 003.
Phone -0422 -6611374
