Govt to procure tomatoes from AP, Karnataka & Maharashtra amid price rise

The Department of Consumer Affairs on Wednesday directed the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) to immediately procure Tomatoes from Mandis in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for simultaneous distribution in major consumption centres where retail prices have skyrocketed in the last one month.

The prices of tomatoes have risen 326.13% in the last one month, according to the government’s own data.

The procured produce will be distributed through retail outlets at discounted prices to the consumers in Delhi-NCR region by Friday, this week, the department said in a release.


"The targeted centres for release have been identified on the basis of absolute increase in retail prices over the past one month in centres where prevailing prices are above the All-India average. Key consumption centres in states having higher concentration of the identified centres are further selected for the intervention," it added.

However, the current supply of tomatoes in the Delhi-NCR region are mostly from Himachal Pradesh and some quantity comes from Kolar in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, arrivals of tomatoes in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and some other states are mostly from Maharashtra especially Satara, Narayangaon, and Nashik which is expected to last till this month end. Madanapalle (Chittoor) in Andhra Pradesh also has continued arrivals in reasonable quantities to meet the rising demand.

As for August, while supply from Madhya Pradesh is expected to start, additional supply is also expected to come from Maharashtra's Narayangaon and Aurangabad belt.

"Prices are anticipated to cool down in the near future, accordingly," the release further said.

As of July 11, the all-India average retail price of tomato was ruling at 108.92 per kg.