Costly tomato: Mandis to be inspected daily
Prices of tomatoes have soared to around Rs 100 per kg in retail markets of the city, while onion prices have risen to Rs 27 per kg.
New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday ordered daily inspections to check hoarding in the wholesale markets after the prices of tomatoes and onions skyrocketed in Delhi. The AAP government has constituted various teams of officers under food and civil supplies department and directed them to submit a daily report on prices of tomatoes and onions in the wholesale markets.
Prices of tomatoes have soared to around Rs 100 per kg in retail markets of the city, while onion prices have risen to Rs 27 per kg. The tomato prices have shot up about four times since June when they were being sold at about Rs 25 per kg in the Delhi-NCR. The government also directed the inspection of retail markets in different parts of Delhi.
According to the government, the retail price of tomato was Rs 68 per kg on July 3, but it rose to Rs 92 on July 31. An official said a “huge variation” between retail prices and wholesale prices indicates that the possibility of hoarding of these commodities could not be ruled out.
“Food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain has directed officials to carry out intense inspections in wholesale markets to keep prices of tomatoes and onions under control by strictly curbing hoarding of these items,” the official said. Inspections will be carried out in all vegetable wholesale markets such as Azadpur Mandi and Ghazipur.