The prices of tomatoes, a widely used vegetable in Indian kitchens, remained at an elevated level of up to ₹250 per kilogram across major cities due to monsoon rains and the lean season. Currently, the all-India average price stood at nearly ₹117 per kg, according to government data.
The central government has started selling tomatoes at a discounted ₹80 per kg in selected cities like Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Arrah through NAFED and NCCF to provide relief to retail customers. About 18,000 kgs were sold in Delhi-NCR on Saturday through mobile vans at ₹90 per kg.
“After a re-assessment of the situation from across 500 plus points in the country, it has been decided to sell the tomatoes at ₹80 per kg from today, July 16th. Sales have started today at several points each in Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Muzaffarpur and Arrah through NAFED and NCCF. It will be expanded to more cities from tomorrow depending upon the prevailing market prices at such locations,” the Government of India said as quoted by ANI.
The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) are selling tomatoes on behalf of the Centre through mobile vans.
In a tweet, Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said, “In addition to various parts of Delhi and Noida, sale of tomatoes at discounted rates started today at Lucknow, Patna, and Muzaffarpur.”
The Department of Consumer Affairs, in an official statement, said that it seems to have made an impact as today there was a sharp drop in Azadpur Mandi (wholesale) price and a slight dip in retail price.
"We initiated a sale in Lucknow today and 7,000 kg was sold. Tomorrow, we will intervene in the retail market in Kanpur also while continuing the interventions in Delhi and Lucknow," the department said as quoted by PTI.
From Sunday onwards, NCCF plans to see tomatoes through 100-odd Kendriya Bhandar outlets in the national capital. It is in talks with Mother Dairy to sell tomatoes through its 400 Safal retail outlets in Delhi-NCR.
The government data stated that the average all-India retail price of tomatoes was ruling at ₹116.86 per kg on Saturday, while the maximum rate was ₹250 per kg and the minimum was ₹25 per kg. The modal price of tomatoes is ₹100 per kg.
Among metros, tomatoes were ruling at ₹178 per kg in Delhi, followed by ₹150 per kg in Mumbai, and ₹132 per kg in Chennai. The maximum price of ₹250 per kg was in Hapur.
Tomato prices normally shoot up during July-August and October-November periods, which are generally lean production months. Supply disruption caused due to monsoon has led to a sharp rise in the rates.
