NEW DELHI: Taking note of the surge in the retail price of tomatoes in the national capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Monday asked all agencies concerned to take effective measures against hoarding in a bid to rein in the rates. The decision to crack down on hoarding was made during a review meeting chaired by Food & Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain on Monday.
The meeting was attended by the food and civil supplies commissioner and other senior members of the department, as well as officials of Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), NAFED, Mother Dairy, SAFAL and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation (DSCSC).
The officials informed the minister that the recent surge in the retail rates of tomatoes was a direct fallout of heavy rain in the hilly states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, as well as the NCR.
The bulk of tomatoes in Delhi around this time comes from the hilly states.
Retail prices of onions were also reviewed at the meeting. The minister was informed that the rates are stable and NAFED, the national agricultural cooperative, has sufficient stocks of the kitchen staple which are being released through Mother Diary and SAFAL outlets daily to ensure prices remain within stable margins.
Mother Diary officials informed that they started selling onions from Sunday. While it has started selling loose tomatoes at R40 per kg, pre-packed tomatoes are selling at R50 per kg at SAFAL Stores. Hussain directed the APMC to convene a meeting of tomato wholesalers and ensure price stability and robust supply of tomatoes.
The officials said they were confident that the retail prices of tomato would stabilise soon. To bring some relief to cosnumers, the minister directed the commissioner, food and civil supplies, to convene weekly meetings with stakeholder departments and agencies to ensure that prices of tomatoes and onions stay in range.