Tamil Nadu govt steps in to sell tomatoes at cost-price in Farm Fresh Outlets; check details
By Team Newsable | First Published Jun 28, 2023, 8:52 AM ISTIt is reportedly said that tomato prices have increased four to five times due to heavy rainfall caused by cyclonic storm Biparjoy followed by the onset of monsoon season that has destroyed the produce of farmers.
The sale of tomatoes at a cost price of Rs 68 per kilo has been launched in government-run Farm Fresh Outlets (FFOs) across Tamil Nadu as part of efforts to cool prices, officials said. In a bid to help rein in price, the sale of tomatoes at cost price has been launched in 62 FFOs and three mobile farm fresh outlets, Minister for Cooperation KR Periyakaruppan said and appealed to the people to make use of it.
In an official release, a kilo of tomato is being sold between Rs 90-100 in the open market affecting middle classes and the poor people. The price of tomato per kg in FFOs is currently Rs 68 per kg and steps would be taken to sell the key vegetable from Rs 60 onwards (per kilo), the state government said.
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The Minister warned of tough action against those who resort to hoarding in the wake of spiralling tomato prices and said that the rise in price was transient in nature and increase in prices would be brought down.
In the wake of severe summer heat tomato cultivation slid and arrivals from neighbouring states decreased as well, leading to an increase in tomato prices since last week. On average, the Koyambedu vegetable market here used to receive up to 800 tons of tomato and it has drastically reduced to about 300 tons which has led to rise in prices in the open market.
The government's intervention to help bring down prices comes following Chief Minister M K Stalin's advice, the release said.
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Chennai alone has 27 FFOs and two mobile units and FFOs are operating in regions including Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Thanjavur.
In Delhi, the tomato sellers are buying it at a wholesale price between Rs 60 and 80 who say prices have gone up in the last 10-15 days. "In wholesale, we are getting tomatoes for Rs 60-80 kg. In retail people will get it for Rs 90-100. The rates have gone up in the last 10-15 days due to rains," Deepak, a tomato seller in Delhi said.
The Cyclone Biparjoy, which also took a toll on Rajasthan, is being blamed by wholesalers as one of the reasons for the spike in tomato prices.
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