Chamarajanagara police step up security to keep a watch on tomato thieves amid price hike

The Chamarajanagara police have stepped up security in the night to keep a watch on tomato thieves amid prices sky rocketing in the market, officers said.

The move comes after some miscreants, last week, destroyed tomato crops of a farmer due to personal rivalry.

According to the police, on July 31, miscreants destroyed one and half acre tomato crop belonging to farmer Manjunath in Kebbepura of Chamarajanagar taluk. The farmer had grown tomatoes in three acres of land of which miscreants destroyed crop in one and half acres.

The miscreants used sickle and cut tomato plants which resulted in a loss of over ₹20 lakh, as the tomato prices have touched the peak of ₹160 per kilogram. The police have not yet identified the miscreants, but the officials have provided protection to the crop following a request by the farmer.

“It is impossible to provide security to all the tomato farms, but we have instructed police to step up their night duty in tomato growing areas,” Chamarajanagara district superintendent of police (SP) Padmini Sahoo told HT.

She said they have provided one policeman to guard a tomato farm as the farmer lost lakhs of rupees last week.

“Tomato is being grown in 1,250 hectares of farm in Chamarajanagara district. It is a four-month crop and after the price went up more number of farmers are showing interest to grow it. The district produces 30,000 tonnes of tomatoes approximately. The hybrid variety yields more while the desi variety yields less and has more resistance to diseases,” District horticulture department deputy director Shiva Prakash told HT.

Meanwhile, two young farmers in Chamarajanagara have grown tomatoes on a total of 12 acres and earned ₹40 lakh.

Rajesh and Nagesh, brothers from Lakshmipur in Chamarajanagar taluk, have harvested a good crop in their farm. The brothers discontinued their education and took up agriculture. They grew tomatoes on a lease of 10 acres of land in addition to their own two acres of land.

They have been growing tomatoes since four years and this time, they got a good harvest by selling 50-60 tonnes.

“For the last four years, we have been growing tomatoes in a total of 12 acres. This time we have got a good price. We have sold 2,000 boxes of tomatoes so far. This has given us a total income of ₹40 lakhs,” Rajesh said.

“This time we have seen the highest profit in four years. My family worked together in the field late into the night. This time we have paid off our debts,” he said, expressing his happiness.