Tomato farmers increased surveillance after theft from fields

Anantapur-Sathya Sai: Tomato farmers in the region are on high alert with family members staying awake in their fields to keep a watch on their golden tomatoes costing Rs 200 a kg in the market. At least an estimated one tonne of tomatoes, has been robbed from fields spread in several mandals. With reports of farmers making a windfall in tomato sales making rounds in media, tomato-robbing gangs are on the prowl to steal and reap monetary benefit. In the recent past, there were reports of even murders in different parts of the state in connection with tomato thefts. Hundreds of tomato farmers spread in Garladinne, Kalyandurg, Gummagutta, Athmakur mandals in Anantapur and Kothacheruvu, Kanaganapalle and several other mandals in Sathya Sai district are growing tomatoes. In all these mandals, farmers have reported tomato thefts from their fields during nights. The farmers of the region estimate that at least one tonne of tomatoes belonging to farmers had been robbed from the isolated fields in the nights. Kanaganapalle farmers in Sathya Sai district complained of tomato thefts two days ago. In Kambadur mandal, Rajanna, a farmer raising tomatoes in his 5-acre land, suffered thefts. Ripe and raw tomatoes were harvested at least in one full acre of land causing them losses. Ironically, no farmer so far reported to police. As thefts are increasing, several farmers are now appealing to the police to give security to their plantations in the form of night patrolling. These robbers are studying plantations in the morning and indulging in thefts in the nights. The police should keep track of vehicles movement in the nights during their patrolling, say farmers. Obuleshu, a tomato farmer in Kalyandurg, has appealed to the police to come to their rescue as farmers sleeping in fields are also being attacked.