The government has taken action to provide assistance after months of skyrocketing tomato prices that pinched a hole in the pocket of the common man. Tomatoes would be offered at Rs 70 per kg by National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) in the Delhi-NCR region as part of the initiatives, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Lok Sabha.
To fight the nationwide escalation of prices, a decision was made. According to FM Sitharaman, NCCF would offer tomatoes for Rs 70 per kg throughout the national capital. Essential items for Indian households are purchased from a number of states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, through cooperative organisations like NCCF and NAFED.
She continued by saying that similar actions have been done since July 14 in various states, including Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The government has started importing tomatoes from Nepal after relaxing limitations on imports, according to Finance Minister Sitharaman. The first shipment of tomatoes is anticipated to arrive in Varanasi, Lucknow, and Kanpur by Friday.
Why tomato prices are high?
Numerous factors have contributed to the high pricing. One of the causes of the skyrocketing prices, which encouraged many farmers to give up on their crops, is the unexpected decline in April and May. Additionally, insect infestations during the unusually hot months of March and April had a negative impact on productivity.
The supply of tomatoes has been hampered in recent weeks from the producing states due to the unseasonal May rains, which had a negative impact on the harvesting and shipping processes. The supply of tomatoes has been significantly impacted by these situations.
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(With inputs from ANI)
