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Amid the surge in the price of tomatoes, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to sell it at Rs 60 per kilogram from today (July 4) at fair-price shops in Chennai.
The recent heavy rainfall in southern states has pushed up the prices of vegetables, especially tomatoes which were being sold at alarming retail rates of Rs 100-120 per kg last week. The wholesale price of tomatoes in Chennai too have doubled from Rs 40 per kg last week to Rs 80-90 per kg now.
State Minister for Co-operation K R Periyakaruppan chaired a meeting with officials at the Secretariat in this regard on Monday. During the meeting, it was noted that the drop in the supply of tomatoes from other states triggered the price rise.
Periyakaruppan said the state government was taking measures to address the shortage by procuring tomatoes directly from the areas in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states where they are grown. As an immediate measure, the government decided to sell tomatoes at fair-price shops to prevent commoners from being affected.
As per the statement issued by the minister on Monday, as an initial step, 82 fair-price shops – including 32 in north Chennai and 25 each in the city’s southern and central areas – will sell tomatoes at Rs 60 per kg. Depending on the need, it will be extended to other areas.
The minister added that tomatoes are already being sold at the reduced rate at Pannai Pasumai Nugarvor Kadaigal (farm-fresh consumer outlets) in Chennai, Coimbatore, Chengalpattu, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Thoothukudi, Thirunelvei, Thanjavur, Tiruppur, Salem, Erode and Vellore.
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