With surging tomato prices deepening concerns, the government is taking measures and as of July 16th, they began selling tomatoes at the subsidised rate of ₹80 per kg (down from ₹90 per kg) starting in Multiple locations in the national capital and the surrounding regions to provide relief to the retail markets.
As per an official statement, “There has been a decrease in the wholesale prices of tomatoes due to the intervention of the government to sell it at a concessional rate of ₹90 per kg, at several locations in the country where the prices were ruling exceptionally high, After a re-assessment of the situation from across 500 plus points in the country, it has been decided to sell it at ₹80 per kg,"
The National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) are working together to provide these mobile vans. Sales started on Sunday at a number of points in Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Muzaffarpur and Arrah and depending on the market conditions will be expanded further over time. In a statement to PTI, NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra confirmed that tomatoes are being procured from Madanapalli (Andhra Pradesh), Kolar (Karnataka) and Sanganeri (Maharashtra).
The current state of affairs is proving difficult for both consumers and businesses with prices up around 700% since January of this year and retailers going to extreme measures to provide people with the required goods. Tomato prices in metros sat at ₹178 per kg in Delhi, ₹150 per kg in Mumbai, and ₹132 per kg in Chennai. The highest recorded price last week was ₹250 in Hapur.
Experts are saying that this premium will last out the rest of July and some respite may come with the end of the rains. Until then, here’s a list of the locations where you can find vans with tomatoes at a subsidised rate.
- Faridabad - Sector 15 Market
- Gurugram - Ashok Vihar Ph.1
- Gurugram - Sector 105
- Gautam Nagar - Masjid More
- CGO Complex - Near Metro Station
- Supreme Court - Supreme Court/ High Court
- Gazipur - Dairy Park
- Connaught Place - Hanuman Colony
- Kalaji - Near Desh Bandu College
- Badarpur - Hari Nagar Ext.
- Jangpura - Near Railway Station
- Central Secretariat - Near Shastri Bhawan
- Ashok Vihar - Near Satyawati College
- Jahangir Puri - Gurudwara K Block
- Rohini Sector 16 - G Block
- Mandawali - Block A
- Krishna Nagar - Near Radhey Shyam Park
- Deoli Khanpur - Mahavir Apartment
- Chhatarpur - Chhatarpur Village Bus Stand
- Nehru Place - Vishal Bhawan
- Okhla - B-19, Industrial Area
- Hauz Khas - Nili Masiid and NCUI Complex
- Jasola – Pocket ll