Even as tomato prices in the country has risen to as much as Rs 250, the government is selling the kitchen staple at a discounted rate of Rs 90 per kg at various location in Delhi, Lucknow, Patna and Kanpur, among others, to provide relief to consumers.
The National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) are selling tomatoes on behalf of the Centre through vans.
“Discounted sale of tomatoes at these locations in Delhi (on Saturday, July 15). Noida locations being finalised. From (July 15), sale to begin at Lucknow and Kanpur with 15 mobile vans each – from 11 am onwards,” Rohit Kumar Singh, secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, has said in a tweet.
In Delhi-NCR, the locations are Faridabad, Gurugram, Ring Road, Greater Kailash Part 1, Shahin Bagh, South Avenue, North Avenue, Dwarka, Mehrauli, Hauz Khas, Mayapuri, Pitampura, Rohini Sector 20, Mayur Vihar, Patparganj, Timarpur , Trilok Puri, Shalimar Bagh, and Nangloi.
In Lucknow, the locations are Bhootnath Market, Dandaiya Market, Front of Naveen Mandi Sthal Sitapur Road, Jawahar Bhawan, Terhipuliya, Gole Market, Chowk, Vibhuti Kand Gomti Nagar, Kaiser Bagh, Rajajipurram, and Munsi Pulia.
For the last few weeks, the retail price of tomatoes has risen sharply and was ruling as high as Rs 244 per kg on Friday across major cities owing to the lean season plus heavy rains.
On Friday, July 14, about 80 per cent of 17,000 kg tomatoes were sold till evening. “We will increase the reach and the quantity from tomorrow onwards in Delhi-NCR,” NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra told PTI.
As per the government data, the average all-India retail price of tomatoes stood at Rs 116.76 per kg, while the maximum rate was Rs 244 per kg and the minimum was Rs 40 per kg.
Among metros, tomatoes were ruling costlier at Rs 178 per kg in Delhi, followed by Rs 147 per kg in Mumbai, Rs 145 per kg in Kolkata and Rs 132 per kg in Chennai on Thursday.
Tomato prices normally shoot up during July-August and October-November periods, which are generally lean production months. Supply disruption caused due to monsoon has led to a sharp rise in the rates.
Tomato is produced almost in all the states in India, though in varying quantities. Maximum production is in southern and western regions of India, contributing 56-58 per cent of all India production. Southern and Western regions being surplus states, feed to other markets depending on production seasons. The production seasons are also different across regions.
The peak harvesting season occurs from December to February. The periods during July-August and October-November are generally the lean production months for tomato. July coinciding with monsoon season, adds to further challenges related to distribution and increased transit losses adding to price rise. The cycle of planting and harvesting seasons and variation across regions are primarily responsible for price seasonality in Tomato.
Apart from the normal price seasonality, temporary supply chain disruptions and crop damage due to adverse weather conditions etc. often lead to sudden spikes in prices.