Seeking to offset the soaring price of tomatoes, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday launched the sale of the precious commodity at Rs 60 a kilo at 82 fair price shops in the city.

This initiative would be extended to other parts of the state if required, Minister for Cooperatives K R Periyakaruppan said.

The latest move is in addition to the Pannai Pasumai (Farm Fresh) outlets in Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Vellore making tomatoes available at Rs 60 per kilo, he said.

The decision to sell tomatoes through the ration shops was made at a meeting chaired by the Minister at the secretariat on Monday evening. Also, the Minister directed the Cooperatives and horticulture department officials to identify the tomato cultivation areas and ensure an uninterrupted supply to the consumers across Tamil Nadu.

At the meeting, it was informed that a decline in the arrivals of tomatoes from the neighbouring states triggered a hike in the prices.

According to a source in the Koyambedu wholesale market here, tomatoes were being sold at a retail price of Rs 110 per kg and in certain areas in the city the price was higher.

An official in the Cooperatives department said it has been planned to provide a family one kilo of tomatoes a day. In the first phase, it will be sold at 32 locations in north Chennai, and 25 FP shops each in central and south Chennai areas.

Further, depending upon the requirement, steps would be taken to make tomatoes available through the fair price shops in other parts of the state, the Minister said and added "efforts are on to stabilise the price soon.” The sale at the Pannai Pasumai outlets was launched recently based on the instructions from Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Not just tomatoes, the prices of green chillies, garlic, coriander and ginger too soared and they are being sold between Rs 150 to Rs 200 a kilo.

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