Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday launched sales of tomatoes at a subsidised rate of Rs 60 per kg in Delhi-NCR as part of the government's efforts to stabilise prices and provide relief to the common man.

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The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) vans will provide tomatoes at a subsidised rate. The tomatoes will be sold in Delhi along with Noida and Gurugram, according to an official statement.

The Centre undertook the market intervention initiative to stabilise rising tomato prices in the retail market.

While addressing the media during the flagging-off ceremony, Joshi said the Department of Consumer Affairs has decided to launch this initiative to check the surge of tomato prices in major cities, especially Delhi.

"From today onwards subsidised tomatoes will be sold for Rs 60 per kg," he said.

Vegetable vendors are selling tomatoes at Rs 70-100 per kg in the national capital, depending on the quality and locations.

Joshi said the Centre has set up a Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to stabilise rising food prices and protect consumers' interests.

"Whenever a situation arises price of essential commodities increases, and we utilise the PSF to procure the commodities. These essential commodities are directly procured from farmers that reduce intermediary costs and ensure availability to consumers," he said.

In this case, the minister said the PSF was not utilised as tomatoes were directly procured from mandis. He further added that this initiative will ease tomato prices, stabilise the market and provide tomatoes at a subsidised rate to consumers.

NCCF has initiated market intervention to stabilise rising tomato prices in the retail market.

The federation is procuring tomatoes from wholesale mandis and selling them at reasonable retail prices. This move aims to ensure that profit margins remain reasonable at the retail level and prevent windfall gains to intermediaries and thereby protect the interests of consumers.

By this intervention, NCCF seeks to cool off price rise and maintain price stability in the market, benefiting consumers and promoting fair trade practices. This intervention demonstrates NCCF's commitment to protecting consumer interests and promoting a stable market ecosystem, the statement said.