Tomato farmers in Chandpur struggle as prices plummet

In the heart of Bangladesh's agricultural landscape, a silent crisis unfolds as tomato farmers in Chandpur face an unprecedented price collapse.

Once brimming with hope for a profitable season, these farmers now find their hard-earned produce nearly worthless, with prices so low that a kilogram of tomatoes cannot even buy a cup of tea.

In several villages, ripe, red tomatoes are left to rot in the fields, abandoned by cultivators who see no economic sense in transporting them to market.

The cost of getting their produce to buyers now exceeds the revenue they can generate, leaving farmers in a state of despair.

"Transport costs exceed the selling price, so what's the point?" lamented Gias Uddin Sarkar, a farmer from Nij Chengarchar in Matlab Uttar.

Hoping to replicate last year's success, he planted tomatoes on 40 decimals of land, but now even covering transportation expenses seems impossible.

Currently, tomatoes are selling at a paltry Tk 3-5 per kilogram, forcing many farmers to give up entirely.

"I don't even go to the field anymore. Instead, I'm giving some away to relatives," Gias said.

Fields that once promised prosperity now lie abandoned, with neighbouring farmers taking the discarded tomatoes for cattle feed.

Veteran farmer Shah Alam Miji of Raldia village, who has dedicated five decades to farming, shares the same frustration.

Cultivating 20 decimals of land, he harvested around 50 maunds of tomatoes, but with local prices as low as Tk 3-4 per kilogram, he is now forced to transport his produce to Chandpur city markets such as Biponibagh, selling deep into the night in a bid to make ends meet.

Similar experiences were shared by Dulal Hossain of Mokimabad, Hajiganj, who now sells tomatoes near Chandpur Railway Station, escaping the even lower prices in rural markets.

A survey of various local markets, including Baburhat, Mohamaya, Moishadi, Sahatoli, Bakila (Hajiganj), Choto Sundar, Wireless Bazar, Pal Bazar, Biponibagh, Puran Bazar, and Bou Bazar, paints a dismal picture.

In Chandpur city, rickshaw-van vendors struggle to sell tomatoes at Tk 8-10 per kilogram, while quality produce in kitchen markets fetches a mere Tk 15-20 per kilogram.

Even in Faridganj's bustling markets, such as Chandrabazar, Baludhuba, and Rampur, the trend remains the same.

Tomato cultivation flourished this year in regions like Gharihana, Baludhuba (East and West), and Subidpur.

Yet, farmers such as Biswajit Sutradhar, Sohel, Monir, Shafiqul Rahman, and Mostafa Patwari find themselves in despair. "We cultivated tomatoes hoping for high profits, but now everything is in vain. People are feeding rotten tomatoes to cattle," Sohel lamented.

According to Faridganj Agriculture Officer Kishore Kallol, tomato cultivation expanded significantly this year, covering 160 hectares compared to 67 hectares last year.

The District Agriculture Extension Department reported that across Chandpur, 657 hectares were dedicated to tomato farming, with a target yield of 14,454 metric tonnes.

However, an astonishing 15,768 metric tonnes have already been harvested, with 80-90% of the total crop collected.

Agriculturist Mohammad Mobarak Hossain attributes this surplus to improved soil fertility following last year's floods, favourable weather conditions, the absence of pests, and continuous guidance from field officers.

"There is no shortage of tomatoes or any other vegetables in the district, which is why prices are so low," he explained.

He, however, emphasised that the Agriculture Department has no control over market prices.

With tomatoes being highly perishable and long-term storage solutions still lacking, Mobarak urged government experts to explore preservation methods to safeguard farmers from devastating losses.

As Chandpur's tomato farmers grapple with this crisis, the urgent need for market stabilisation and storage solutions becomes ever more apparent.

Without intervention, the heartbreak of this season may deter farmers from cultivating tomatoes in the future, altering the region's agricultural landscape for years to come, locals said.