Subsidized tomato prices were reduced from Rs 90 per kg to Rs 80 per kg with immediate effect in Delhi-NCR, other cities on Sunday, the Center announced. The Central Government is making efforts to provide relief to the people from the high prices of major kitchen items in the retail markets.
“Wholesale prices of tomatoes have come down due to the government’s intervention to sell tomatoes at a concessional rate of Rs 90 per kg at several places in the country, where prices were abnormally high,” said an official statement. Said.
The Center on Friday started selling tomatoes at a subsidized rate of Rs 90 per kg in Delhi-NCR through mobile vans. More cities were added to the list where the Center started selling subsidized tomatoes on Saturday.
“After re-evaluation of the position at more than 500 points across the country, it has been decided to sell it at Rs 80 per kg with effect from today, Sunday, July 16, 2023,” it said.
Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Muzaffarpur and Arrah have been the top cities where tomatoes are being sold through cooperatives NAFED and NCCF.
Tomatoes are being procured from Madanapalle (Andhra Pradesh), Kolar (Karnataka) and Sanganeri (Maharashtra), NCCF Managing Director Anees Joseph Chandra said, adding that NCCF has already sold 35,000 kg of tomatoes in the last two days.
He said 20,000 kg is expected to be sold in Delhi-NCR, 15,000 kg in Varanasi, 10,000 kg in Lucknow and Kanpur on Sunday.
He said the NCCF sold around 7,000 kg in Lucknow on Saturday and this helped bring down the wholesale rate from Rs 130 per kg to Rs 115 per kg.
Tomato prices cross Rs 250 per kg amid rain
Tomato prices shot up sharply in the retail markets on Sunday as monsoon rains and less season led to tomato prices crossing the Rs 250 per kg mark in major cities.
As per government data, the all-India average price of tomato was around Rs 117 per kg. However, the Center made efforts to provide relief to the consumers. The government started selling tomatoes at a subsidized price of Rs 90 per kg in select cities like Delhi-NCR, Patna and Lucknow.
(with PTI inputs)
Also read- Tomato prices continue to rise, cross Rs 250 a kg amid rains