Md. Kamruzzaman Khan Picklu, Chitalmari, Bagerhat:
A sudden fall in tomato prices has frustrated the growers in different upazilas in Bagerhat district. Tomatoes were being sold at Tk 4 to 5 per kilogram in Chitalmari upazila in the district on Friday.
However, at the beginning of the season, tomato price was Tk 60 to 75 per kg.
Besides frustration over abrupt price fall, farmers showed anger over lack of proper market management which caused the price fall. 
Some tomato growers said the bumper yield is also responsible for sudden price fall.
Visiting different markets of Chitalmari on Friday morning, it is seen that good quality tomatoes are being sold at Tk 180 to Tk 200 per mound while medium size tomatoes are varying from Tk 120 to 150 per mound. Besides, small tomatoes are available at Tk 40 per mound.
Local farmers said that they got good prices for a few days at the beginning of the season.
Now in the full season, the price of tomatoes has come down and they have to count a huge loss for sure, tomato growers said. 
They also said that the labor, transportation, harvesting tomatoes and full production cost will not be reaped at all. The tomato growers will surely count the loss, they added saying that the government should focus on proper market management control.
Farmers of Chitalmari were happy with bumper tomato yield and high price this year in the fist phase of the season. But the price fell due to the sudden increase of tomatoes in the market.
Tomatoes are not being sold to pay for labor costs and transportation costs now leading the growers to count a huge loss.
Local vegetable traders said tomatoes were ripe everywhere at the same time and coming to the market immensely that’s why prices have come down due to this sudden increase. However, prices may rise ahead.
A trader said, “We bought at Tk 60/75 per kg of tomatoes in Chitalmari area at the beginning of the season. Due to which many farmers have got good prices this year. Now we are being forced to buy goods at lower prices as per the demand of Mokam.”
“In fact, the production of tomatoes in the upazila is much higher this year than other years. Due to which the price has come down. However, prices are likely to rise in the upcoming days, they think.
