As tomato prices soar over Rs 80/kg, ICAR's hybrids offer hope for market stability

New Delhi: As tomato prices across India touch a staggering Rs 80/kg, two hybrid varieties developed by a Bengaluru-based institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research could potentially safeguard against future crises, a top official said on Monday.

However, their success hinges on wider adoption and increased cultivation area.

The hybrid tomato varieties, Arka Rakshak and Arka Abedh, developed by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), boast an impressive shelf life of up to three weeks, significantly longer than conventional 7-10 days.

This characteristic could prove crucial in stabilising supply chains disrupted by erratic weather patterns, particularly the heavy rainfall that has plagued tomato-growing regions this season.

"We have developed a tomato variety that has a longer shelf life of three weeks. We need to expand the area under these varieties," Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Director General Himanshu Pathak told reporters on the sidelines of the institute's 96th Foundation and Technology Day celebrations.

Pathak emphasised that climatic aberrations frequently affect the production of staple vegetables like tomato, potato, and onion. In response, ICAR's research has prioritised increasing crop shelf life to mitigate supply fluctuations and subsequent price volatility.

Arka Rakshak, India's first triple disease-resistant tomato F1 hybrid developed in 2012, is currently cultivated in 7,000 hectares, according to IIHR senior scientist Chandrashekar C.

The hybrid technology has been licensed to 11 companies, which are estimated to have made a turnover of Rs 3,600 crores from seed sales during 2012-22.

Arka Abedh, released three years ago, offers an even longer shelf life of three weeks and is suitable for distant markets.

Both varieties offer resistance to multiple diseases, including Tomato Leaf Curl Virus, Bacterial Wilt, and Early Blight.

While these hybrid varieties show promise, their success in stabilising market prices will largely depend on government initiatives to promote wider adoption among farmers.

IIHR has recently partnered with the National Seed Corporation to increase seed sales and coverage.

As tomato cultivation spans 8-10 lakh hectares in India, the exact data on the coverage of these two varieties remains unclear, making it challenging to formulate future expansion plans.

With consumers grappling with high vegetable prices, the onus now lies on the government to leverage this agricultural innovation for public benefit.

As per the government data, retail tomato prices are ruling high in the range of Rs 80-83/kg in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata on Monday. A similar trend was seen in many consuming centres.

The development of these long-shelf-life tomatoes underscores the potential of agricultural research in addressing market volatility.

However, their impact will only be felt if there's a concerted effort to increase awareness, adoption, and cultivation areas among farmers across India's diverse agro-climatic zones.