Tomato Prices To Normalise In 7-10 Days, Says Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi

The price of tomatoes will cool down in the next seven to ten days, highlighted Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, during a program of selling tomatoes at cheaper prices by the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) in Delhi on Monday.

To provide relief to consumers from the rising tomato prices, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, through the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), has initiated market intervention to stabilize the rise in the retail market.

The NCCF is procuring tomatoes from wholesale mandis and selling them at reasonable retail prices.

During the program, the minister also informed that the prices of tomatoes will cool down from next week. He said, "As you can see, the prices have been gradually decreasing compared to last week. I believe that in seven to ten days, the prices will normalize. Until then, we will continue with this program."

According to the ministry, this move aims to ensure that profit margins remain reasonable at the retail level and prevent windfall gains to intermediaries, thereby protecting the interests of consumers in the market, benefiting consumers, and promoting fair trade practices.

"Under the directive of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, we have decided to sell tomatoes at Rs 60 per kilogram at eighteen centres in Delhi NCR. This arrangement includes the cost of transportation and handling from the markets. This initiative starts today, and we will proceed with it," said Joshi.

Through this intervention, NCCF seeks to cool off price rises and maintain price stability.

The minister also informed that the tomato sales will start from Monday at various locations in Delhi NCR, including Rajiv Chowk Metro, Patel Chowk Metro, and 15 other centres. The tomatoes will be sold at Rs 60 per kg at all these locations. He also added that in the coming days, the number of retail locations may be increased for consumer convenience.

The current retail prices of tomatoes range between Rs 100 to Rs 120 per kilogram in various markets, causing financial strain on consumers. The NCCF's initiative is designed to provide significant relief by offering tomatoes at nearly half the prevailing market rates.

The effort by NCCF aims to reduce retail prices in the Delhi NCR region, providing significant relief to consumers. (ANI)