Centre announces Tomato Grand Challenge hackathon | Fusion - WeRIndia

In response to the recent increase in tomato prices, the Centre has announced a Tomato Grand Challenge (TGC) hackathon to address the issue and ensure affordability for consumers while benefiting tomato farmers.

This initiative follows a similar approach taken during a surge in onion prices, where innovative ideas were sought for value addition and price control.

Here are the key points about the TGC hackathon:

• The hackathon was developed by the Department of Consumer Affairs in collaboration with the Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education. It was announced by Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh.
• The challenge seeks ideas at various levels of the tomato value chain, including insights for farmers, and suitable cultivars for fresh markets and processing. Also, it seeks inputs to increase shelf-life and improve transportation, and innovative packaging and storage.
• Participants can enter the hackathon under two tracks: Under the first track, students, research scholars, and faculty members can participate. The second track includes industry individuals, Indian start-ups, MSMEs, LLPs, and professionals.
• Winning ideas will be evaluated by experts and undergo prototype development and field implementation to ensure usability, scalability, and price considerations.
• Eligible participants can apply for the hackathon on the official government portal.

On June 27, tomato prices in prominent cities across the country reached ₹100 per kilogram. There are several reasons for this. Some of them are supply shortages, heatwaves, monsoon deficits, and crop damage caused by heavy rainfall.

The average retail price of tomatoes rose from ₹25 to ₹41 per kilogram, with maximum prices ranging from ₹80 to ₹113, as reported by the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Price Monitoring Division.

The Tomato Grand Challenge hackathon aims to address these price fluctuations and ensure the availability of affordable tomatoes for consumers.

By encouraging innovative solutions and comprehensive interventions along the tomato value chain, the government aims to support tomato farmers and improve the overall market situation.

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