Minister reviews food items’ prices

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 22

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain today reviewed issue of retail prices of tomatoes and onions with the commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies and other senior officials of the department, APMC, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), Mother Dairy/Safal and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation (DSCSC).

The officials informed that the recent rise in retail prices of tomatoes was due to rains in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and NCR. Bulk of the tomatoes to Delhi comes from hilly states during this period.

Officials of Mother Dairy informed that they started market intervention from Sunday. Mother Dairy started selling loose tomatoes at Rs 40 per kg, and pre-packed tomatoes at Rs 50 per kg at the Safal stores. The minister directed APMC to convene meeting of tomato wholesalers and ensure stable and sufficient supply.

Hussain also directed various agencies to take effective action against any hoarding activity. The participating agencies were of the view that the retail prices of tomatoes were likely to be stabilised soon. 

The minister directed the commissioner to convene weekly meetings with stakeholder departments/agencies to ensure that prices of tomato and onion be stable and under control.