Subsidized tomatoes in Delhi

The Indian government has launched a subsidized sale of tomatoes at Rs 60 per kilogram in major cities, including Mumbai and Delhi-NCR, to combat rising prices and provide relief to consumers. This initiative, led by the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), aims to stabilize the retail price of tomatoes, which have been selling at Rs 70-100 in local markets. Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi emphasized that although a Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) is available for such interventions, it was not utilized in this case as tomatoes were directly procured from wholesale markets. The initiative is expected to ease market prices and prevent excessive profit margins for intermediaries. The NCCF plans to distribute tomatoes through vans at various strategic locations across both regions. This program reflects the government's commitment to protecting consumer interests amidst fluctuating food prices.