Tomato, Onion Prices Cheaper than Last Month

In a big relief for the common people, the all-India retail price of tomato has declined by 29 percent over last month as market arrivals improved with the onset of monsoon rains. The prices of onion have also declined by 9 percent below last year level.

The prices of Tomato in major metro cities, including Mumbai had touched Rs. 100 per kg in June. This came after lemon prices skyrocketed in May. Additionally, tomato prices Delhi witnessed a 44 percent jump to Rs. 46 per kg with supply being disrupted due to heat wave and lower production in South India.

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The consumer affairs ministry data indicates that the average retail price for tomatoes across all the country was lower than it had been a month earlier on July 19, at Rs 37.35 per kg. The data further showed that on the same day, the average retail price for onions throughout all of India was Rs 25.78 per kg.

The government has built up a reserve stock of 2.50 lakh tons of onion in the current year which is the highest ever onion buffer stock procured. The procurement for the buffer has helped in preventing mandi price of onion from crashing this year despite a record production of 317.03 lakh tons reported by Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.

“The onion stocks from the buffer will be released in a calibrated and targeted manner during the lean months (Aug - Dec) to moderate price rise,” the ministry said adding that the stocks will be released through targeted open market sales and also offered to states/UTs and government agencies for supplies through retail outlets.

Open market releases will be targeted towards states/cities where prices are increasing over the previous month and also in key mandis to augment the overall availability.

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