Tomato varieties with longer shelf life might counter sky-high prices

As tomato prices across India touch a staggering Rs 80/kg, two hybrid varieties developed by a Bengaluru-based institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) that have a shelf life of over 20 days could potentially provide some safeguard, a top official said on Monday.

Conventional tomato varieties in non-refrigerated conditions usually have a shelf life of 7-10 days, but the new hybrid tomato varieties, Arka Rakshak and Arka Abedh, developed by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), boast an impressive shelf life of up to three weeks.

This characteristic could prove crucial in stabilising supply chains disrupted by erratic weather patterns, particularly the heavy rainfall that has plagued tomato-growing regions this season.

Moreover, the varieties are also resistant to no less than three diseases that infect tomatoes, including the dreaded late blight. Their quick national adoption could provide some answers to volatile prices.

Arka Rakshak, India's first triple disease-resistant tomato F1 hybrid developed in 2012, is currently cultivated in 7,000 hectares, according to IIHR senior scientist Chandrashekar C.

The hybrid technology has been licensed to 11 companies, which are estimated to have made a turnover of Rs 3,600 crore from seed sales during 2012-22.

Arka Abedh, released three years ago, offers an even longer shelf life of three weeks and is suitable for distant markets.

IIHR has recently partnered with the National Seed Corporation to increase seed sales and coverage.

As tomato cultivation spans 8-10 lakh hectares in India, the exact data on the coverage of these two varieties remains unclear, making it challenging to formulate future expansion plans.