Did you know that tomatoes selling for Rs55 to Rs60 per kilogram in the retail market were sold by farmers in wholesale markets for only Rs10 per kilogram?
After taking his commission, the middleman sold the same tomatoes to wholesalers for Rs25 to Rs30 per kilogram. By the time the produce reached consumers, the price had doubled, yet the farmer was left with almost nothing.
At present, Sindh’s tomato crop is meeting demand across the country. Markets are flooded with produce coming from Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Sanghar, and Mirpurkhas. Despite this abundant supply, farmers are unable to get fair prices for their crop. According to growers, cultivating tomatoes on one acre costs between Rs150,000 and Rs200,000, and at current market rates it has become difficult even to recover production costs.
This situation is in sharp contrast to what was witnessed about six weeks ago. At that time, Sindh’s crop was not yet ready, the Afghanistan border was closed, and Pakistan was importing tomatoes from Iran. As a result, prices had soared to Rs400 to Rs500 per kilogram.
Experts say that fluctuations in tomato prices in Pakistan are primarily driven by supply levels. Prices usually remain low from April to June and from December to February when supply is abundant. In contrast, production declines during September and October, pushing prices upward.
Balochistan contributes 34 percent of Pakistan’s total tomato production, while Sindh accounts for 28 percent. What makes Sindh’s crop unique is that it enters the market all at once, providing large-scale supply. However, the benefits of this abundance rarely reach Sindh’s farmers.
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