The Union government decreased the subsidised tomato pricing to Rs 80/kg from Rs 90/kg with immediate effect in Delhi-NCR and other regions on Sunday.
In-depth details about the government has reduced the tomato subsidy rate to Rs 80/kg
“After a re-evaluation of the situation from over 500 points across the country, it has been decided to sell it at Rupees Eighty (80) per kg beginning today, Sunday, July 16th, 2023.” NAFED and NCCF sales began today at various locations in Delhi, NOIDA, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Arrah. It will be expanded to new cities starting tomorrow, depending on market values in those cities, according to a government press statement.
Due to monsoon rains and the lean season, tomato prices in retail markets across major cities remained elevated on Saturday, reaching up to Rs 250 per kilogramme. According to government data, the all-India average price was roughly Rs 117 per kilogram.
To help retail customers, the Centre has begun supplying tomatoes at a reduced price of Rs 90 per kg in select locations such as Delhi-NCR, Patna, and Lucknow. On Saturday, mobile vans sold approximately 18,000 kgs in Delhi-NCR.
Through mobile vans, 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.
“In addition to various parts of Delhi and Noida, sale of tomatoes at discounted rates started today at Lucknow, Patna and Muzaffarpur,” tweeted Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh.
The department of consumer affairs stated in a statement that around 18,000 kg of tomatoes were sold to retail consumers across Delhi-NCR.
“It appears to have had an effect because today there was a sharp drop in Azadpur Mandi (wholesale) price and a slight dip in the retail price,” it added.
“We started selling today in Lucknow, and 7,000 kg were sold.” “We will intervene in the retail market in Kanpur tomorrow as well as in Delhi and Lucknow,” the department stated.
According to the Department of Consumer Affairs, the average all-India retail price of tomatoes was Rs 116.86 per kg on Saturday, with the maximum rate being Rs 250 per kg and the minimum rate being Rs 25 per kg. The standard price of tomatoes is Rs 100 per kilogram.
Tomatoes were the most expensive in metros, costing Rs 178 per kg in Delhi, Rs 150 per kg in Mumbai, and Rs 132 per kg in Chennai.
In Hapur, the highest price per kg was Rs 250.
Tomato prices often rise during the months of July-August and October-November, when output is typically low.
The disruption in supply caused by the monsoon has resulted in a substantial increase in rates.
