By: Sawan Khaskheli
BADIN:The Pakistan’s largest and also called Asia’s largest tomato market in Badin was facing low price out of sufficient production in the market causing hundreds of growers across the district were suffered huge agro economy loss.
The market with 42 spots and shops where hundreds of individuals were associated for earning and private employment including of those more than 100 contractors, agents, labourers, hotel owners, truck and rikshaw owners and others were facing deficit of such lower rates of tomato in largest market.
While talking Abdul Majeed Lund, grower of coastal belt said they were sustaining loss due to prices. He said some 20 days earlier, single bag was sold out at the rate of Rupees1000 to 1200 but unfortunately such bag was being purchased by agents at the rate of Rupees 170 to 190 only causing huge economic damage to growers. He said the growers also held protests in various cities against import of tomatoes from India, Afghanistan and Iran but government made no effort to discontinue such import which resulted the growers were affected before yield.
He said about 120 thousand to 140 thousand were incured by growers for single acre of tomato crop but the disappointing rates in the market has suffered them.
While talking Noor Ahmed, agent in the market said due to yield of tomato across the province, market was affected of lower rates. He said many years earlier, it was announced to establish tomato processing unit in Badin but such remained non speculated. He said if processing unit was established the growers had benefited.The labourer Ghulam Hussain said labourers were paid Rupees 700 to 900 on daily wages but better rates were beneficial for the labourers to claim higher wages due to higher earning of growers and agents. He said tomato of Badin was exported to Gilgit,Lahore, Karachi, Sahiwal, Peshawar and different cities across the country and single truck owner claim about 100 thousand for fare.