Subsidised tomatoes to now cost Rs 70 per kg: Govt

The Union government has reduced prices of subsidised tomatoes to Rs 70 per kilogramme from Thursday from Rs 80 per kg now to provide relief to common man from high retail prices.

The Centre is selling tomatoes to people at a subsidised rate of Rs 80 a kg in Delhi-NCR and some other key cities through the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).

The all-India average retail prices of tomatoes is ruling at nearly 120 per kg, although the key kitchen item is selling as high as Rs 245 per kg at some places.

In the national capital, the rate has come down to Rs 120 per kg.

"The Department of Consumer Affairs has directed NCCF and NAFED to sell tomatoes at retail price of Rs 70 per kg rate from July 20, 2023 in view of the declining trend in tomato prices," an official statement said.

The tomatoes procured by NCCF and NAFED had been retailed, initially, at Rs 90 per kg and then reduced to Rs 80 per kg from July 16 2023, it added.

"The reduction to Rs 70 per kg will further benefit the consumers," the statement said.

On the government's direction, NCCF and NAFED had commenced the procurement of tomato from mandis in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for simultaneous disposal in major consumption centres where retails prices have recorded maximum increase in last one month.

"The retail sale of tomatoes in Delhi-NCR had started from July 14, 2023.

"Till July 18, 2023, a total of 391 tonnes of tomato had been procured by the two agencies which are being continuously disposed of to the retail consumers in major consumption centres of Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," the statement said.

As per the data compiled by the Department of Consumer Affairs, the all-India average retail price of tomato is Rs 119.29 per kg on Wednesday.

The maximum retail price is Rs 245 per kg, while the minimum retail price is Rs 40 per kg and the modal price is Rs 120 per kg.

Tomato prices in the retail markets of the national capital have declined to an average Rs 120 per kg on Thursday from Rs 178 per kg on Sunday.

Among other metros, tomatoes were selling at Rs 155 per kg in Mumbai, Rs 132 per kg in Chennai and Rs 143 per kg in Kolkata.

Tomato prices normally shoot up during July-August and October-November periods, which are generally lean production months.

Supply disruption caused due to the monsoon has led to a sharp rise in the rates of tomatoes.