No state has approached us for procurement of tomatoes: Centre

NEW DELHI: Amid distress sale by tomato farmers, government today said no state government has approached it so far to procure it under the market intervention scheme to help the growers.

"Government is aware that there has been an increase in production of tomato in the current year because of which prices at few centres are low," Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh informed the Lok Sabha.

He said in a bid to help farmers from such situations like distress sale, a market intervention scheme has been put in place.

"However, no proposal has been received from any state government for procurement of tomatoes under the scheme. But proposals to buy apples, ginger and chilli have been received," he said responding to supplementaries.

In his written response, he said as per the projected figures, the production of tomatoes in 2016-17 is 18911 thousand tonnes against the demand of 17519 thousand tonnes.