The Centre began selling tomatoes at a subsidised rate of Rs 65 per kg in Delhi on Monday, aimed at easing the burden on consumers and curbing excessive profits by middlemen.
Currently, tomatoes are averaging Rs 90 per kg in the capital. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare launched the initiative with National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) vans distributing tomatoes at a subsidised price.
“We are attempting to moderate tomato prices. With this market intervention, we expect prices to decrease within the next 3-4 days,” Khare told reporters.
The NCCF is directly procuring tomatoes from mandis and selling them at the subsidised rate of Rs 65 per kg. Mobile vans will distribute tomatoes to 50 colonies in Delhi.
This intervention aims to protect consumers from the recent surge in tomato prices and prevent substantial profits for intermediaries, as stated in an official announcement.
Also Read: Delhi: Lack of supply leads to soaring prices of vegetables
“The retail price of tomatoes has seen an unwarranted increase in recent weeks despite a consistent supply in mandis. Reports suggest that rains and high humidity from the prolonged monsoon in major producing states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra have caused quality issues,” the Department of Consumer Affairs said.
The statement also highlighted the potential influence of market intermediaries on the current price increase during this high-demand festive season.
Additionally, the NCCF continues to supply onions from the government buffer stock at ₹35 per kg to consumers in major cities across India.
Khare mentioned that the department is importing pulses from Myanmar and chickpeas from Australia.
In Delhi, the average price of potatoes is Rs 40 per kg, while onions are priced at Rs 58 per kg. Nationally, the average prices stand at Rs 36.89 for potatoes, Rs 54.36 for onions, and Rs 64.72 for tomatoes, according to government data released on Monday.
(With inputs from PTI)
