Making tomatoes available year long
Dr W Selvamurthy & Deepa Prakash
Agriculture lies at the heart of Food
Science and
Technology and the need for good food processing practices is all the more important. Food processing is the remedy for the asymmetry of agricultural opportunity and the cost (and availability) of food in India.
Agriculture lies at the heart of Food Science and Technology and the need for good food processing practices is all the more important. Food processing is the remedy for the asymmetry of agricultural opportunity and the cost (and availability) of food in India.
Tomato occupies the second position amongst the vegetable crops in terms of production. It is also available throughout the year but suffers a huge inconsistency of price from 50 paisa per kilo to 50 rupees per kilo. Andhra Pradesh is the largest grower of tomato with a production of 2.05 MT. The other main tomato growing states are Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Orissa. Tomatoes are transported to the other states where it is not grown, from the producing states.
When tomato products prices are high, there is always expansion; when there is oversupply creating lower prices, there is always contraction. The industrial tomato products industry offers product quality and cost advantages to users through improved design and technology.
The processed tomato can be divided into the following end user categories: i) Peeled tomatoes ii) Concentrate iii) Tomato pulp iv) Tomato paste v) Partially dehydrated tomatoes vi) Tomato powder vii) Ketchup viii) Tomato juice ix) Strained tomatoes x) Diced tomatoes
Innovative ideas to set up a food processing unit for entrepreneurs are available through government agencies and the Ministry of Food Processing in India (MFPI). The most essential for post-harvest storage is the integrated cold chain (MFPI) where 25 percent of the project cost in general areas and 33.33 percent in difficult areas with a common ceiling of Rs 75 lakh.
There should be public-private partnerships where government research laboratories concerned with agriculture and food processing collaborate with the industry and the farmers. An integrated ‘farm to fork’ approach for better farming practices with post harvest infrastructure will make it easier for the industry to buy produce at a consistent price. Also, farmers should be educated agriculture and water management for better and practical scientific ideas.
Suggestions like making tomato pulp on site near farms in small cottage scale industry to provide tomato paste to the food processing industry is welcome. Technologies like minimal processing, hurdle technology and use of ethylene absorbent packaging material will help in extending the shelf life of tomatoes.
A voluntary association comprising laboratories associated with agriculture and food processing with the government, the MFPI, NGOs, private industries and farmers can make this dream of tomatoes being available year long on a fairly consistent price and quality achieveable.