Mysuru, June 18 -- In a distressing development that underscores the volatility in agricultural markets, scores of tomato farmers in Mysuru dumped their produce in heaps at the Bannimantap APMC yard on Wednesday, following a drastic fall in wholesale prices.
The farmers, who had transported their tomatoes from various parts of the district, said they were receiving as little as Rs 2 to Rs 3 per kilogram - far below the cost of production. Unable to recover even the basic input and transport costs, several aggrieved cultivators unloaded their harvest within the market yard premises in protest.
"This is a dire situation," said one farmer. "Last week, a box of tomatoes fetched around Rs 600. Today, traders are offering Rs 17 per box. Just a ...