The Centre on Monday started selling tomatoes at Rs 65 per kg at 50 locations throughout the national capital. This move comes as the average price of tomatoes in Delhi-NCR has surged beyond Rs 90 per kg in anticipation of the festive season. Sources indicate that the Centre may soon expand this initiative to additional cities.
In the past month, tomato prices in Delhi and neighbouring areas have nearly doubled due to extended monsoon rains and high humidity affecting major producing states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, which have also raised concerns about quality.
During the launch of the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) vans, Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare stated, “We are trying to moderate the prices of tomatoes through retail market intervention. With this, in the next three-four days prices of tomatoes will come down.”
The Consumer Affairs Department noted that retail tomato prices have experienced an ‘unwarranted increase’ recently, despite a consistent supply in mandis. It also suggested that the involvement of market intermediaries may be contributing to price hikes during this high-demand festive period.
The NCCF has begun this market intervention by purchasing tomatoes directly from mandis and offering them at a subsidised rate.
AP to sell onions, tomatoes through Rythu Bazaars
In response to the rising prices of onions and tomatoes over the past few weeks, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to sell these essential vegetables at affordable rates through Rythu Bazaars.
The prices of onions and tomatoes have surged significantly for various reasons. Currently, onions are priced between Rs 55 and Rs 70 per kg, while tomatoes are being sold at Rs 90 per kg. To address this issue, Agriculture Minister K Atchennaidu convened a review meeting with officials from the horticulture and marketing departments, instructing them to ensure these vegetables are available at reasonable prices in Rythu Bazaars.
In all Rythu Bazaars across 13 districts, tomatoes will be priced at Rs 50 per kg, even though the prevailing wholesale price in the open market ranges from Rs 70 to Rs 75. Additionally, onion prices will be kept at a manageable Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kg.
[With agency inputs]
First Published: Oct 08 2024 | 2:43 PM IST
