COIMBATORE: The sale of imported pigeon pea (toor dal) at subsidised rates commenced at major cities in the state including Coimbatore on Sunday. With the price of pigeon pea touching Rs 200 in the open market, the State government has announced that it will sell imported Pigeon Pea, allotted by the Central government, for Rs 110 per kg.
The announcement stated that the sale will be carried out at as many as 91 outlets of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) and other cooperative societies.
In Coimbatore, the commodity will be sold at 10 retail outlets including Chinthamani Supermarket, Cooperative society outlets in Singanallur, Townhall, Velandipalayam, PN Pudur, Cheran Nagar, RS Puram, Kuniyamuthur, State Bank Colony and Flower Market.
On the very first day itself, the outlets saw a huge number of customers visiting to purchase toor dal. Scores of customers made a beeline at Chinthamani Supermarket to buy it.
The employees of the retail outlet told Express that the response from the customers to buy toor dal was good.
“We welcome the move to sell toor dal at a subsidised price. But we expect that it should be sold at a price lesser than Rs 100, which was the earlier market price,” said Sabitha Banu, a customer at the Chinthamani Super Market.
“The regularity of cooking toor dal at our home has reduced due to the recent price rise. I hope that now we will be able to increase the intake of toor dal in our meals,” said Priya, a homemaker from the city.
One kg of toor dal costs Rs 110 and 500g costs Rs 55.