Tomato prices to cool down soon, says Consumer Affairs Secretary

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday said that the tomato prices are expected to cool down in the coming days as the supplies from Maharashtra started improving.

“We expect supplies from Maharashtra to improve shortly, which should help stabilise prices particularly in the national capital," Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare told reporters.

She also said that the government is maintaining strict vigilance on price movements.

The government will continue selling tomatoes at a subsidised rate of Rs 65 per kg in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai through the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), Khare said.

The prices of tomato shoot up to Rs 100 per kg mark in the national capital as supplies from key southern states Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have been disrupted due to retreating monsoon rains causing crop damage and pest infestation. This supply crunch, coupled with festive season demand, has pushed prices northward.

"While weekly arrivals have been impacted, Since October 7, NCCF has sold around 10,000 kg of tomatoes through mobile vans and outlets in Delhi and Mumbai at a subsidised rate.