Govt Directs NCCF and NAFED to Sell Tomatoes at ₹50/kg From Tomorrow

New Delhi: The Indian government has reduced the retail price of tomatoes to Rs 50 per kg, effective August 15. This is in response to the recent surge in tomato prices, which had reached as high as Rs 70 per kg in some areas of the country.

The National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) have been directed to sell tomatoes at the reduced price. These two agencies are responsible for the procurement and distribution of agricultural produce in India.

The reduction in tomato prices is expected to provide relief to consumers, who have been struggling with the rising cost of living. It is also expected to boost demand for tomatoes, which will benefit farmers.

NCCF and NAFED have been working to increase the supply of tomatoes in the market. They have procured tomatoes from mandis in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, and are distributing them to major consumption centres across the country.

In addition to the price reduction, NCCF and NAFED are also using mobile vans to sell tomatoes in areas with high demand. They are also employing the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform to facilitate online tomato sales.

The government’s intervention to reduce tomato prices is a welcome move. It will help to mitigate the impact of rising food prices on consumers and boost demand for tomatoes. This will benefit farmers and the agricultural sector as a whole.