Pralhad Joshi Launches Subsidized Tomato Sale at Rs 60/kg to Tackle Price Surge

The tomatoes will be distributed through National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) vans, providing an affordable option for consumers.

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, has launched a new initiative to sell tomatoes at a subsidized rate of Rs 60 per kilogram. This measure, introduced today, aims to stabilize the soaring tomato prices in major cities, particularly Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon.

The tomatoes will be distributed through National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) vans, providing an affordable option for consumers. This intervention is part of a broader effort by the Centre to manage food prices and protect consumer interests.

During the flagging off ceremony, Shri Joshi explained that the Department of Consumer Affairs initiated this scheme to address the rising tomato prices. He emphasized that the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) has been set up under the Modi government to stabilize food prices and safeguard consumers. Although the PSF was not used in this case, as tomatoes were directly procured from mandis, the initiative is expected to ease the market price and offer relief to consumers.

NCCF's market intervention involves purchasing tomatoes from wholesale mandis and selling them at reduced retail prices. This approach is designed to limit excessive profit margins and prevent windfall gains for intermediaries, thereby ensuring fair prices for consumers.

Starting today, tomatoes will be available at various locations, including Rajiv Chowk Metro, Patel Chowk Metro, Nehru Place, Krishi Bhawan, and several others across Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon. The initiative may expand to additional retail locations in the coming days to enhance consumer access and convenience.

This move reflects NCCF's commitment to maintaining price stability and promoting fair trade practices, ensuring that consumers benefit from a more balanced and stable market.