Karnataka to resume tomato exports to Bangladesh, on one condition

After nearly a year-long pause, tomato exports from Kolar, a district in Karnataka, India to Bangladesh are set to resume—but with a strict condition: the produce must not be diverted to Pakistan.

Kolar's Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is the second-largest hub for tomato trading in South Asia, following Pimpalgaon in Nashik, Maharashtra, reports The New Indian Express.

"Exports to Pakistan ended three years ago, while those to Nepal and Bangladesh stopped about a year back," said M Narayanaswamy, president of the Tomato Traders and Growers Association. "Now, exports to Bangladesh will resume within a month, but they must not be rerouted to Pakistan. The Central government's ban on exports to Pakistan remains in effect. There's no loss for farmers or traders, as domestic demand is still strong."

He added that shipments to Bangladesh had stopped due to both political instability and increased tomato production there, which had lowered their import needs. "With seasonal changes, demand is likely to pick up again. Besides Maharashtra, we also export to countries like Dubai, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and Singapore—though overall exports have been lower this year," he noted.

Between June and October, around 400 to 500 tonnes of tomatoes are transported daily from Kolar APMC.

Farmer and merchant CMR Srinath said local growers are willing to sell at lower prices within India to support domestic consumers.

Another trader mentioned that Bangladesh is ready to pay Rs 95 per kg for Kolar tomatoes and is not deterred by the extra cost. Still, Indian exporters have stressed that the tomatoes must not be redirected to Pakistan—a previous practice used to boost profit margins.