With tomato prices shooting in the national capital and adjoining areas, the Central government on Friday (19th July 2019) has asked the state-owned ‘Mother Dairy’ to increase its availability and sell the important kitchen staple at Rs. 40 per kg.
The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry in a statement said that the Delhi government has also been urged to "exhort traders as well as logistic providers to increase the supply of tomatoes to the vegetable markets to ensure immediate control of price hike".
It said, a decision regarding the issue was taken by a high level Inter Ministerial Committee meeting headed by Consumer Affairs Secretary, Mr. Avinash K Srivastava.
Prices of tomatoes in the retail markets of Delhi and NCR went up to Rs. 60 to 80 per kg because of supply disruptions after the rains in key producing states.
The ministry further added that "It was indicated by the Horticulture Division that the situation is only momentary & augmenting of supplies that has started shall further increase. Because of rainfall the supply of tomatoes in the mandis, which was delayed, will be back to normal".
The committee that evaluated the price as well as availability of tomatoes in Delhi with stakeholders had observed that rates went up sharply since 10th July and then they took two immediate decisions to control the rise in prices.
First decision was to ask Mother Dairy to immediately start selling quality tomatoes via its retail outlets at Rs. 40 / kg. It has also been ordered to boost the supply in the market to make sure that quality tomatoes are available to customers at lower prices.
Second decision was to instruct the Delhi government's Food & Civil Supplies Department to encourage traders & logistic providers to increase the supply of tomatoes to the wholesale markets to ensure quick control of price rise.
It must be noted that Mother Dairy sells fruits as well as vegetables in around 100 Safal outlets in the Delhi-NCR region.
