You Can Buy Tomatoes At Rs 70 Per Kg. But, Here's The Catch

In a move that is expected to bring relief to consumers and help cool tomato prices, you can now buy the vegetable at Rs 70 per kg. However, terms and conditions apply because these subsidised tomatoes are only available in the Delhi National Capital Region and at certain time slots.

Consumers in Delhi NCR can purchase tomatoes through the ONDC portal at a discounted rate of Rs 70 per kilogram, according to a press release by ONDC on Tuesday.

The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation, along with Paytm, Magicpin, Mystore, Pincode, Shadowfax and Shiprocket, have joined forces on the Open Network for Digital Commerce—the government-led e-commerce democratisation tool—to ensure the availability of fresh tomatoes at affordable rates.

Each buyer can place one order per week between 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m, for 2 kg of tomatoes at the discounted price.

BQ Prime tried ordering and found that along with the availability being restricted to New Delhi, there are also restrictions on frequency and quantity. The service is also on a first-come-first-serve basis.

We tried to avail the option from multiple addresses across Delhi at 2:30 p.m. But, the portal was already out of stock by then. We recommend you start early at 9:30 a.m. if you want to place an order.

Tomato prices are currently retailing at Rs 130 per kg in Delhi. And in Mumbai, they are retailing at Rs 158 per kg, according to daily data provided by the Department of Consumer Affairs, which monitors the prices of 22 essential food commodities, including tomatoes.

News reports suggest that amid an onslaught of rains in the city, tomatoes have breached the Rs 200 mark in some parts.

In order to check the current increase in prices of tomatoes and make them available at affordable prices, the government has started its procurement under the Price Stabilisation Fund, according to a Press Information Bureau note.

The National Cooperative Consumers Federation and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation are continuously procuring tomatoes from mandis in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. However, this is for major consuming centres in Delhi-NCR, Bihar, Rajasthan, etc., after subsidising the price for the consumers, it said.

While tomatoes were earlier being subsidised and sold for Rs 90 per kg, prices have reduced further to Rs 70 per kg from July 20, the release said.

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