Government Reduces Tomato Prices to Provide Relief to Consumers

The government will begin selling tomatoes at Rs 50 per kg in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai starting Friday. This reduction follows an earlier subsidy launched on July 29 at Rs 60 per kg. The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd is managing the sales to stabilize prices and protect consumer interests.

The government will reduce the price of tomatoes to Rs 50 per kg starting Friday in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai markets. This new rate is part of an initiative to relieve financial pressure on consumers as prices were previously set at Rs 60 per kg.

Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had launched the initial subsidised rate on July 29. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare confirmed the further price reduction, citing ongoing efforts to stabilize the market.

The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) will facilitate the sales through mobile vans to ensure wider accessibility. The move comes after severe heat waves and erratic rains drove tomato prices above Rs 100 per kg last month.

The government has not utilized the Price Stabilisation Fund for this intervention, opting instead to procure tomatoes directly from wholesale mandis. This strategy aims to ensure that retail prices remain reasonable and prevent excessive profiteering by intermediaries.

According to the Department of Consumer Affairs, the all-India average price of tomatoes stood at Rs 61.74 per kg on July 31. This intervention is expected to further stabilize the market and maintain fair trade practices, aligning with the NCCF's mission to protect consumer interests.

(With inputs from agencies.)