Government provides fund to 28 innovators for addressing sharp volatility in retail prices of tomato

To code crisp volatility successful retail prices of tomato, the Centre has provided funds to 28 innovators nether a 'Tomato Grand Challenge' hackathon for improving proviso concatenation arsenic good arsenic processing levels. The authorities volition present facilitate these innovators to standard up their concern by connecting them to investors and corporates.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare connected Friday said the 'Tomato Grand Challenge' (TGC) hackathon was launched successful June past twelvemonth to invitation innovative ideas astatine assorted levels of the herb worth concatenation to guarantee its availability to consumers astatine affordable prices and assistance herb farmers get worth for the produce.

The TGC was formulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs successful collaboration with Ministry of Education (Innovation Cell).

"There is simply a precocious volatility successful herb prices. Rates summation sharply due to the fact that of excessive rains, vigor spells and pest attacks," Khare said, adding that determination are astatine slightest 2-3 occasions successful a twelvemonth of abrupt terms hike arsenic overmuch arsenic 100 per cent.

She pointed retired that rates sometime autumn drastically, affecting farmers' income.

Khare stressed that determination is simply a request to fortify proviso chain, trim pre arsenic good arsenic post-harvest losses and boost processing level to bring stableness successful prices for the payment of some consumers and farmers.

India produces 20 cardinal tonne of herb annually.

"We received 1,376 ideas from innovators and retired of that 423 were shortlisted successful the archetypal signifier and yet 28 ideas were funded," Khare said.

These 28 innovators person been provided backing for prototype improvement and mentorship.

These ideas were sought nether 2 categories-- (i) students, probe scholars and module members and (ii) manufacture individuals, Indian startups, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Limited Liability Partnership (LLPs), professionals.

These ideas person been tested and astir each of them person established startups. They volition beryllium trained however to transportation their caller ideas earlier investors and large corporates.

Asked astir the mode forward, Khare said the section volition present manus clasp these startups and assistance them conscionable investors arsenic good arsenic different corporates truthful that they tin standard up their businesses.

The caput said the inspiration to code terms volatility successful herb came from the occurrence the state has achieved successful supplying milk, which is besides a perishable item.

Khare talked astir immoderate of the innovative ideas including making vino from tomato.

"We person got bully ideas. We volition assistance them standard up to tide implicit the occupation of terms volatility," she said.

According to an authoritative statement, the projects underwent periodic monitoring, abbreviated visits, and reviews by TGC Evaluation Committee of AICTE and the department.

Multiple rounds of valuation by sheet of experts culminated successful last evaluations connected October 14-15, 2024, wherever projects were judged connected their relevance, scalability, and innovation.

The TGC has created a important impact, starring to galore IP successful process of filing, including 14 patents, 4 plan registrations/ trademark and 10 publications.

The result of this hackathon includes, "the improvement of innovative packaging and proscription solutions to heighten support beingness and minimize post-harvest losses; instauration of processed products that widen usability, reducing wastage and ensuring year-round availability".

Tomato is produced successful astir each states successful India, though successful varying quantities.

Maximum accumulation is successful Southern and Western regions of India, contributing astir 60 per cent to all-India production. These regions being surplus states, provender different markets depending connected accumulation seasons.

The accumulation seasons are besides antithetic crossed regions.

The highest harvesting play occurred successful December to February. The periods during July-August and October-November are the thin accumulation months of tomato. July coinciding with monsoon season, adds to further challenges related to organisation and accrued transit losses adding to terms rise.