Indian scientists from Gandhi Krishi Vignan Kendra (GKVK), and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) are revolutionising tomato cultivation methods in order to tackle the problem of skyrocketing tomato prices.
Working towards empowering farmers with advanced research techniques, Dr Maheswarappa HP, the Director of Research at the University of Horticultural Sciences, said that they are developing a novel, climate-resilient, and pest-resistant variety.
Dr Maheswarappa said that they are also looking at Public Private Partnership (PPP) models in the coming days.
Talking about how climate change impacts tomato production, a scientist from ICAR- IIHR explained that often when day temperatures rise over 30 degrees Celsius and fall below 21 degrees Celsius at night, flowers drop, affecting overall tomato production.
The new hybrid variant will also keep the tomato's taste intact.
The cost of current hybrid seeds is around INR 300- 400 ($3.60- $4.80) per 10 grams, so for an acre, a farmer needs around 20 grams of seeds.
Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra are the leading states when it comes to tomato production. However, the new climate-resilient variety will not be limited to these regions, instead, it will have the potential to bring immense benefits to farmers all across India scientists said.