The central government on Monday issued a directive to the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) to ensure the retail sale of tomatoes at a fixed rate of Rs 50 per kg starting from August 15th. The decision, made by the Department of Consumer Affairs, stems from the observed decrease in tomato prices within wholesale markets.
NCCF and NAFED are responsible for distributing tomatoes in regions including Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, and Kota in Rajasthan, as well as Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, and Patna, Muzaffarpur, Arrah, and Buxar in Bihar.
NCCF to establish mobile tomato outlets in Delhi NCR
To counter the escalating tomato prices, the retail distribution of tomatoes commenced in Delhi-NCR on July 14 with the government's intervention. The National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) has taken the initiative to establish mobile tomato outlets at 70 locations throughout Delhi and 15 locations in Noida and Greater Noida.
Initially, the retail cost of tomatoes sourced by NCCF and NAFED was set at Rs 90 per kg, subsequently lowered to Rs 80 per kg. This price was further adjusted to Rs 70 per kg starting from July 20. Additionally, the agency is also facilitating the retail sale of tomatoes through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform.
NCCF, NAFED start acquisition of tomatoes from markets
In compliance with the instructions of the Department of Consumer Affairs, the NCCF and NAFED initiated the acquisition of tomatoes from markets in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. This procurement aimed to facilitate the retail distribution of tomatoes in areas witnessing a significant spike in prices.
As of August 13, the collaborative efforts of NCCF and NAFED have led to the procurement of a cumulative 1.5 million kilograms of tomatoes.
