Kharif sowing of tomato, onion, potato at comfortable levels

The sowing of tomato, potato and onion is at comfortable levels this kharif season with area acreage under cultivation for these crops being at the same levels as last year, a senior official at the agriculture and farmers’ welfare ministry said.

The total area sown with onion in five major producer states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh was at 26,840 hectares as on July 5, against 26,670 hectares in the corresponding period in 2021, data from the ministry shows.

The total area sown with kharif potato in top five states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was 36,120 hectares as on July 5 against 36,510 hectares a year earlier.


The total area under kharif tomato cultivation in top 10 producer states was 58,750 hectares as on July 5 against 50,990 hectares a year earlier. This is nearly 23% of the targeted area.

While prices of tomato have decreased, onion and potato prices have marginally increased during the last week.

The Centre has procured 2.50 lakh tonnes of onion for buffer in 2022-23, which is 50,000 tonnes more than the two lakh tonnes buffer created in 2021-22.

The onions were procured from rabi harvest for price stabilisation buffer by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) from states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

The stocks will be released through targeted open market sales and be offered to states and government agencies for supplies through retail outlets during the lean months (August to December) to moderate price rise.