Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Flags Off Subsidised Tomato Sales at Rs 60 per Kg

Today on July 26, 2024, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, announced the commencement of tomato sales at a subsidised rate of Rs 60 per kilogram. This initiative, facilitated by the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF), aims to alleviate the soaring tomato prices in the retail market.

In a move to stabilize prices, NCCF vans will distribute the tomatoes in Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon. During the launch event, Minister Joshi highlighted the government's commitment to mitigating price surges in major cities, particularly Delhi. He stated, "Starting today, tomatoes will be available at a subsidised rate of Rs 60 per kg."

Joshi highlighted the Narendra Modi government's efforts in establishing a Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to manage food prices and protect consumer interests. He explained that while the PSF is typically used to procure essential commodities directly from farmers to reduce intermediary costs, it was not utilized for this initiative. Instead, tomatoes were sourced directly from wholesale markets (mandis). "This step will help stabilize the market and provide consumers with tomatoes at affordable prices," Joshi added.

NCCF's market intervention aims to keep retail profit margins reasonable, preventing excessive gains by intermediaries and safeguarding consumer interests. This approach is designed to cool off the price rise and maintain market stability, ensuring fair trade practices.

Initially, the subsidised tomatoes will be sold at select locations including Rajiv Chowk Metro, Patel Chowk Metro, Nehru Place, Krishi Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Colony, Hauz Khas Head Office, Parliament Street, INA Market, Mandi House, Kailash Colony, I.T.O, South Extension, Moti Nagar, Dwarka, and Noida (Sector 14 and 76), Rohini, and Gurugram. 

Additional retail locations may be added in the coming days for consumer convenience.