Early this year when farmers in the region were selling tomatoes at a throwaway price, Maharashtra’s Nitin Ramesh Dhingre took a smart decision. He converted the fresh produce into dried products using a solar dryer.
“When there is enough supply in the market, prices reduce. Earlier, we were selling tomatoes for Rs 50 per crate of 20 kilos, which comes to Rs 2.5 for 1 kg. We were unable to even get its cost of production. Additionally, we have to spend on harvesting the crop and transporting it to the market,” the 38-year-old farmer tells The Better India.
“Since last December, I started drying the excess produce. For the same quantity, for which I would get Rs 50, now I earn Rs 350,” adds Nitin, who grows tomatoes, grapes, and onions on a five-acre land in his village Matur.
In the past five months, he has been able to earn an additional income of Rs 1 lakh by…