Inter-ministerial panel reviews prices, availability of onions, tomatoes

The Department of Consumer Affairs on Friday reviewed the prices and availability of onions and tomatoes through an inter-ministerial committee.

An official release said Mother Dairy will augment supplies of onions by sourcing quality onions from the open market for retailing in Delhi market. APMC Delhi will facilitate Mother Dairy in its operations. Steps are also being taken to facilitate movement of onions and tomatoes.

An official release said the meeting was attended by representatives of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Food Processing besides NAFED, Mother Dairy, and Kendriya Bhandar.

Representatives of Delhi Government, APMC Azadpur and senior officials of the Department of Consumer Affairs were also present.

The meeting was informed that there have been some disruptions in the supplies because of Diwali holidays and rains in some of the growing areas affecting harvesting.

The release said that this has led to a rise in prices but the increase in arrivals, which has begun, would reduce the prices in the wholesale as well as the retail market.