Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said tomatoes will be sold at Rs 70 per kg in Delhi-NCR amid concerns over rising prices.
She said the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF) will conduct the sale of tomatoes in Delhi-NCR at a subsidized rate this weekend to help alleviate the situation.
Sitharaman said tomatoes are being procured from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, for distribution through cooperative societies like NCCF and NAFED
This approach has been launched in Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan since July 14. Additionally, mobile vans in Delhi function as NCCF and NAFED outlets.
Furthermore, to address the issue, India has initiated tomato imports from Nepal by lifting import restrictions, she added.
It may be noted that tomato prices witnessed a sudden jump last week, with reports indicating that the kitchen staple could breach Rs 300 per kg mark.
One of the primary reasons behind rising tomato prices, as stated by wholesale traders, was supply disruptions caused due to heavy rainfall in the key producing regions.