Lucknow man grows 250kg tomatoes on his rooftop
What's the story
Amid the soaring prices of tomatoes, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow has managed to cultivate over 250 kilograms of tomatoes on his rooftop.
Vikram Pandey, who is passionate about gardening, took on the rooftop gardening challenge despite space constraints.
With the high tomato prices causing concerns nationwide, Pandey initiated this innovative project to tackle the problem at a local level.
Small space
Pandey cultivated tomatoes in 600sqft space
When Pandey first started, he was a bit worried as his balcony wasn't very big.
But then he decided to turn his balcony into a small tomato garden.
The space he had was just about 600 square feet. He planted around 50 to 60 tomato saplings, and guess what? His hard work paid off big time! He ended up with 250kg of tomatoes.
Other
He also grew other plants besides tomatoes
This resident of Lucknow didn't limit his accomplishments to just cultivating plenty of tomatoes; he utilized his gardening skills to establish his rooftop as a thriving haven for various plant varieties.
Alongside the tomatoes, he also focused on growing other plants. He planted citruses like lemon and mosambi (sweet lime) and also grew a variety of vegetables.
Neighbors
He distributed surplus tomatoes among neighbors
Seeing the big difference he was making, Pandey wanted to help his community, too.
He shared the surplus tomatoes with his neighbors, and everyone was thankful for his kindness.
While his garden kept growing well, Pandey's balcony and rooftop turned into a happy place, giving hope to people in the city who were seeking sustainable solutions amid rising tomato prices.
Tomato prices
Lately, there's been drop in tomato prices
Following a break in the monsoon and a period without significant rainfall in several places, the prices of tomatoes are declining all over the country.
Recent reports indicate that the market is now receiving a healthy supply of tomatoes, resulting in a decrease in price from the peak of Rs. 230 per kg in July to the current rate of Rs. 55 per kg.