Tamil Nadu government has come up with a solution to help its citizens cope with the steep rise in tomato prices. The cooperation department has started selling vegetables at a lower price of Rs. 68 per kilogram in its 65 shops to provide relief to people who are feeling the pinch of the high tomato costs. The state government-owned cooperative stores are selling fresh farm tomatoes at a subsidised rate in various cities such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Thanjavur, Erode, Salem, and other places.
The Minister of Cooperation, K R Periyakaruppan, informed the press that the stores are selling tomatoes at procurement prices, without making any profit. The move is aimed at reducing the price difference for tomatoes sold at cooperative stores, making it more affordable for people.
This initiative comes at a time when the tomato prices have escalated to Rs. 100 per kilogram, causing much distress among the common people who use the vegetable extensively in their daily cooking. With this move, the government hopes to ease the burden of its citizens, especially those from economically weaker sections, who are facing the brunt of the rising food prices.
The cooperative stores have a total of 62 farm fresh co-operative stores and three mobile vegetable stores across the state. These stores are selling tomatoes at a subsidised price of Rs. 68 per kilogram. The minister also added that they were making efforts to reduce the price difference even further, bringing the cost of tomatoes down to Rs. 60 per kilogram in the near future.
While the cooperative stores aim to sell the tomatoes at procurement prices, the real question is whether it is sustainable in the long run. The government should also consider other measures to tackle rising tomato prices, such as setting up farmer-friendly policies, promoting efficient farming techniques and using technology to prevent crop losses. All these measures will go a long way in stabilizing prices and ensuring that people have access to essential commodities at affordable rates.
In conclusion, this initiative by the Tamil Nadu government to sell tomatoes at a subsidised rate is commendable, considering the current food inflation scenario in the country. However, a long-term strategy is needed to address the issue of rising food prices and ensure that prices remain affordable for everyone.
