In a heartbreaking twist of fate, tomato farmers who had been reaping bountiful rewards for nearly two months, thanks to record-high tomato prices, now find themselves in dire straits.

The once-lucrative tomato market has collapsed, with prices plunging from over Rs 200 per kilogram to a mere Rs 3 per kilogram in just a month.

Desperation has driven several tomato farmers from the Rayalaseema region to take drastic measures. Some have resorted to dumping their tomato harvest onto the roads, while others have opted not to pick fully ripe tomatoes from their fields, arguing that the proceeds wouldn't even cover the transportation costs to nearby wholesale markets.

Just a few weeks ago, there were heartening tales of farmers amassing fortunes, with some reporting profits in crores from tomato sales in Andhra Pradesh.

However, during this period of price volatility, many hotels had to refrain from serving dishes that relied on this kitchen staple for over a month. Consumers once queued up at Rythu Bazaars, where tomatoes were available at a subsidized rate of Rs 50 per kilogram.

However, within the past week, the fortunes of both farmers and the general public have taken a nosedive. Wholesale prices have plummeted to below Rs 10 per kilogram, while in retail markets, tomatoes are still selling for Rs 20-30 per kilogram.

K. Vannuru Swamy, a farmer from Ipperu in Anantapur district, shared his plight, revealing that he has chosen not to harvest his tomato crop due to the steep drop in prices. He explained, "I invested over 1 lakh rupees in my three-acre tomato crop.

Many farmers from my village had to dig into their own pockets to cover transportation expenses, as they couldn't even recoup the logistics charges. Learning from their experiences, I've decided not to pick the tomatoes during this cycle."

Desperation has driven several farmers to discard their tomato produce along the Dhone national highway in Kurnool district, Anantapur rural, and various areas in Kurnool when they were offered a mere Rs 3 per kilogram on Thursday. M. Suresh Babu, the president of the Goutham Buddha Farmer Producers' Organisation, expressed deep concern over the distressing situation in the Rayalaseema districts.