NEW DELHI: Cooperatives NCCF and NAFED on Friday started selling tomatoes at a discounted rate of Rs 90 per kg in Delhi-NCR and Patna in a bid to provide relief to consumers amid high prices of the key kitchen staple.
The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) are selling tomatoes on behalf of the Centre.
Since the last few weeks, the retail price of tomatoes has risen sharply and was ruling as high as Rs 244 per kg on Friday in several parts of the country owing to the lean season plus heavy rains.
"About 80 per cent of 17,000 kg tomatoes were sold till evening. We will increase the reach and the quantity from tomorrow onwards in Delhi-NCR," NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra said.
The response was good and in some places, there was a queue for buying the discounted tomatoes, she said.
About 20 mobile vans were despatched in areas such as Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Pusa Road, CGO Complex, Nehru Place, Govind Lal Shika Marg, Adarsh Nagar, JJ Slum at Wazirpur, and Dhodhapur Shiv mandir.
In Noida, three mobile vehicles were despatched to Noida Sector- 78 and Pari Chowk near Greater Noida, she added.
Chandra said, "We are selling tomatoes of 'A' grade export quality. The quantity will be increased to more than 20,000 kgs from tomorrow."
From Sunday onwards, NCCF will also start selling tomatoes through 100-odd Kendra Bhandar outlets in the national capital, she said, and added, "Till the prices stabilise, the discount sale of tomatoes will continue."
NCCF is also in talks with Mother Dairy about the sale of tomatoes at discounted rates through their 400-odd Safal retail outlets in Delhi-NCR, she added.
On the other hand, NAFED also began selling tomatoes at a discounted rate of Rs 90 per kg in Patna, Bihar.
"A truckload of 20 tonnes of tomatoes reached Patna today. We are selling at a government fixed rate of Rs 90 per kg there," NAFED Chairman Bijendra Singh said.
The cooperative has procured tomatoes at Rs 115 per kg from the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
"It is costing a total of Rs 121 per kg for transportation of tomatoes to Patna. About Rs 6 per kg extra is being incurred due to cartage and others," he said.
The losses are borne by the central government. As per the government data, the average all-India retail price of tomatoes was ruling at Rs 116.76 per kg on Friday, while the maximum rate was Rs 244 per kg and the minimum was Rs 40 per kg.
Among metros, tomatoes were ruling costlier at Rs 178 per kg in Delhi, followed by Rs 147 per kg in Mumbai, Rs 145 per kg in Kolkata and Rs 132 per kg in Chennai on Thursday.
Tomato prices normally shoot up during July-August and October-November periods, which are generally lean production months.
Supply disruption caused due to monsoon has led to a sharp rise in the rates.