Govt Slashes Tomato Price Further, To Be Sold At Rs 70 Per Kg

New Delhi: The Central government has taken further steps to bring down the price of tomato, one of the most essential ingredients of kitchens across India.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has directed National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) to sell tomatoes at the retail price of Rs 70 per kg rate from July 20.

The Union government had, last week, advised that tomatoes procured by NCCF and NAFED be retailed initially at Rs 90 per kg and then Rs 80 per kg from July 16.

The fresh reduction of price will further benefit consumers.

On the Department of Consumer Affairs’ direction, NCCF and NAFED had begun procurement of tomatoes from mandis in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for simultaneous disposal in major consumption centres where retails prices recorded maximum increase during the last one month.

Tomato prices across the country had skyrocketed past Rs 100 per kg to Rs 200 and inched towards Rs 300 per kg when the Central government intervened.