How an AP Farmer Scripted a Success Story With Rain-Fed Tomatoes

Ravindra Reddy, a farmer from Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh was devastated when he suffered huge losses from groundnut cultivation. He possesses 10 acres of dry land and was seeking an alternative that would yield him good produce and profits. He decided to switch over to rain-fed tomato crops. In this method, the good quality tomato seeds are chosen and nurtured in a nursery. The tomato saplings are planted in the fields whenever there is rain. There is a difference between the normal tomatoes and the rain-fed ones. The non-rain fed tomatoes do not last long while the rain-fed ones can be stored for a long time and are naturally stronger. With Reddy's efforts and guidance, many farmers switched over to rain-fed tomato cultivation. They reaped a rich harvest. However, the price at the local market was only Rs 10 per kilo of tomato. A friend from Chennai advised him to send tomatoes to the Andaman as he would get a good price. The friend introduced Ravindra to traders who purchased tomatoes from farmers and sold them to people in Andaman. They fixed the rate at Rs 40 per kg for the tomatoes cultivated in drylands. Ravindra sorted raw tomatoes from his produce and packed them in wooden sandboxes to be despatched to Chennai and from there to Andaman. He reaped rich dividends and became a source of inspiration to many other farmers in his village.