Nirmala Sitharaman's plan: Tomatoes to be sold at ₹70 per kg in Delhi-NCR

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that tomatoes will be sold at ₹70 per kg in Delhi-NCR as prices continue to soar. The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) will conduct the sale of tomatoes in Delhi-NCR at a subsidized rate this weekend, she said, informing that tomatoes are being procured from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, for distribution through cooperative societies like NCCF and NAFED.

This system has been in place in Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan since July 14. Mobile vans in Delhi function as NCCF and NAFED outlets, she said.

“NCCF is planning a mega-sale of tomatoes in Delhi-NCR at a subsidised rate of ₹70/kg this weekend and covering all nooks and corners of Delhi,” Nirmala Sitharaman said.

India has initiated tomato imports from Nepal by lifting import restrictions, she added, explaining that the first lot of imports are likely to reach by Friday in Varanasi, Lucknow and Kanpur.

Tomato prices witnessed a sudden jump last week. The kitchen staple witnesses a price surge amid supply disruptions caused due to heavy rainfall in the key producing regions.

Defending the government's policies during the no-confidence discussion in Parliament, the finance minister said that India has showcases remarkable economic transformation, asserting that progress is achieved through actions rather than mere rhetoric.

Drawing attention to the situation in some developed countries, she said, "the United Kingdom's struggle, where the Bank of England has raised interest rates 14 consecutive times, and the European Central Bank's struggle with high inflation, having raised interest rates nine times to a 23-year high".

“Despite the global economic headwinds, India's economy had achieved commendable growth,” the union minister said.

"In 2013, Morgan Stanley declared India as a fragile economy. The same Morgan Stanley now gave higher grading to India. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, India has emerged as the fastest-growing economy, showcasing a remarkable 7.2% real GDP growth in 2022-23", Nirmala Sitharaman said, continuing, “So, India is in a rare position of being optimistic and positive about its future growth.”