Summary
The government’s efforts to limit the cost of tomatoes and onions throughout the nation are showing positive outcomes. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution has made this assertion. According to the ministry, the cost of tomatoes has decreased by 29% over the course of the past month.
Expansion
In comparison to the previous month, the average retail price of tomatoes across all of India has decreased by 29%. The government claims that because of an improvement in tomato arrival in the market, the average price has decreased. The arrival of tomatoes in the mandis has increased as a result of the monsoon rains, according to a statement made on Tuesday by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. Price relief has resulted from this. The ministry also claimed in its statement that market retail prices for onions have decreased by 9% over the previous year. It should be noted that tomato and onion are two essential vegetables utilised in Indian cuisine.
Within a month, the price of tomatoes increased from Rs. 52 per kg to Rs.
Tomatoes were selling for an average retail price of Rs. 37.35 per kg across all of India on Tuesday (July 19), down from Rs. 52.5 per kg one month prior, according to data supplied by the ministry. On Tuesday, the average retail price of onions throughout all of India was Rs 25.78 per kg, according to data provided by the government.
The government stores onions to provide a buffer stock.
According to the central government, it has built a stock of 2.50 lakh tonnes of onions for this year, making it the largest buffer stock of onions ever bought. According to the government, despite its record-breaking production of 317.03 lakh tonnes of onions as a result of this action, prices in the mandis have not breached this year. Additionally, the government has stated that this year’s buffer stock of onions will be used to control market prices for onions from August through December. Let us inform you that, for a variety of reasons, the price of onions in the country’s mandis increases every year between the months of August and December.
The government is taking this action to limit the national price of onions.
The buffer stock of onions will be sold on the open market, according to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. States, union territories, and government organisations will receive it for use in supplying retail establishments. According to the administration, the buffer supply of onions will be used in the country’s target markets where prices are increasing in comparison to last month. By employing the buffer stock of onions, the big mandis in those locations will have access to onions.
The cost of tomatoes declines by 60% in a month.
The price of a good-quality potato grew by 2% in July due to increased demand from South India, but tomato prices, which had reached 100 per kg in June, have decreased by 60% to just 40 per kg. Potatoes are the most prevalent vegetable on Indian plates.
Government statistics show that in June, inflation for potatoes and tomatoes increased by 23.86 percent and 158.78 percent, respectively. Due to a sharp decline in price, tomato-related inflation is projected to slow down in July.
“There is no longer the extraordinary heatwave that had a negative influence on the tomato crop nationwide. Rains have occurred, and production has increased. Shimla, the Kolar, Bagepalli, and Chintamani districts of Karnataka, as well as Madanepalle in Andhra Pradesh, all have abundant supply. Prices decreased as a result in July “said Ashok Kaushik, president of the largest tomato trade association in Asia, Azadpur mandi.