'Tomawoes': Centre begins to sell tomatoes at discounted rates
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New Delhi: In response to the skyrocketing prices of tomatoes, the Centre launched a scheme to sell tomatoes at discounted rates through government-run public distribution centres. The initiative began in Delhi on Friday, and it received a significant response from consumers, with a total of 17 tonnes of tomatoes sold on the first day alone.
The Centre has collaborated with two cooperatives, namely the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED). These cooperatives will ensure the availability of tomatoes at a reduced price of Rs 90 per kilogram.
Consumer Affairs Secretary, Rohit Kumar Singh, announced the commencement of discounted tomato sales through NCCF in various locations, including Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Pusa Road, Nehru Place CGO, Sector 78 Noida, Pari Chowk, Greater Noida, and Rajnigandha Chowk. Additionally, Singh revealed that another 13 vans were in the process of being loaded to meet the increasing demand.
Singh also expressed the government's commitment to providing relief to consumers and stated that the quantity of tomatoes sold would be gradually increased. The initial goal is to raise the sales to 40 tonnes in the coming days.
Looking ahead, the Centre has plans to expand the scheme to other cities. Starting from Saturday, the discounted tomato sales will begin in Lucknow and Kanpur with 15 mobile vans deployed in each city from 11 am onwards. The scheme will further extend to Patna on Sunday.
The Centre has directed NAFED and NCCF to procure tomatoes from major mandis (wholesale markets) in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra to ensure a steady supply for simultaneous distribution in areas where retail prices have seen significant spikes in recent months.
The move comes as the all-India average retail price of tomatoes has more than tripled, surpassing Rs 100 per kg. The Centre's swift intervention seeks to alleviate the burden on consumers and stabilize tomato prices across the country.