Centre slashes tomato prices to Rs. 80/kg in select cities
The central government on Sunday announced a cut in the prices of tomatoes from Rs. 90/kg to Rs. 80/kg retailed through two cooperatives—the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). The subsidized rates have come into immediate effect in the retail markets of Delhi and other select locations across the country.
'Good news,' says NAFED on Twitter
Reduced prices to be expanded to more cities
In the official statement, the Centre said the decision to reduce the prices was taken after re-assessing the situation across over 500 points in the country. On Sunday, the tomatoes started selling at reduced prices in Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Arrah. The discounted prices will be expanded to more cities from Monday, the statement added.
Tomato prices reached Rs. 250/kg yesterday
On Saturday, the price of tomatoes touched Rs. 250/kg in major cities due to monsoon rains and the lean season. Meanwhile, the average price of the product stood at around Rs. 117/kg, India Today reported, citing government data. Providing a little relief, the government had earlier been selling tomatoes at Rs. 90/kg in some cities like Delhi NCR, Lucknow, and Patna.
