Government Set to Dispense 300,000 Tonnes of Onion Reserves from September, Aiming to Control Kitchen Expenses
The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) has taken action to ease the burden on consumers in Delhi, where tomato prices surged due to heavy rainfall disrupting supplies in the northern and north-western regions of the country.
A stampede-like situation broke out due to a fire during 'Aarti' at Varanasi's Atma Vishweshwar Mahadev Temple, injuring 7 people. However, let's focus on the recent food price developments.
In Delhi, tomatoes reached Rs 85 per kg at the end of July, but the surge was temporary. To address this, the NCCF initiated a subsidized tomato sale in Delhi on August 4, offering tomatoes at Rs 47-Rs 60 per kg.
The NCCF procured tomatoes directly from Azadpur Mandi and sold them through fixed outlets and mobile vans, minimizing margins. This intervention helped cool the prices in Delhi as supplies recovered and arrivals at Azadpur mandi stabilized.
The all-India average retail price of tomatoes remains stable at around Rs 52 per kg, cheaper than last year's Rs 54 and significantly lower than the 2023 price of Rs 136. The retail price of tomatoes in Chennai is Rs 50/kg, while in Mumbai it is Rs 58/kg.
The NCCF's action was part of the government’s targeted approach to address localized temporary disruptions without indicating a fundamental demand-supply imbalance across the country. The Federation has made similar subsidy efforts in previous years under comparable circumstances.
Over 27,000 kg of tomatoes have been sold at these subsidized rates. The Centre will also begin releasing 3 lakh tonnes of onion buffer stock from September 2025 to shield households from price shocks during the festive season.
In addition, the cost of a homemade thali in July 2025 was 14 percent lower than in July 2024, with most food commodities either stable or cheaper compared to last year. This is good news for consumers across India as they enjoy more affordable meals.
[1] NCCF steps in to cool tomato prices in Delhi (2025, August 4). Retrieved from https://www.nccfindia.org/news/nccf-steps-in-to-cool-tomato-prices-in-delhi
[2] Delhi tomato prices fall after NCCF intervention (2025, August 10). Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/business/delhi-tomato-prices-fall-after-nccf-intervention/article32775213.ece
[3] NCCF subsidizes tomato prices in Delhi (2025, August 5). Retrieved from https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/nccf-subsidizes-tomato-prices-in-delhi-1824207-2025-08-05
[4] NCCF intervenes to cool Delhi's tomato prices (2025, August 6). Retrieved from https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/nccf-intervenes-to-cool-delhis-tomato-prices-122080601173_1.html
- In the news, the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) has made headlines for intervening to cool tomato prices in Delhi, which were record-breaking due to supply disruptions. (NCCF steps in to cool tomato prices in Delhi)
- In a positive turn for personal-finance and budgeting, the prices of tomatoes in Delhi have seen a significant drop following the NCCF's subsidized sales, providing relief to consumers. (Delhi tomato prices fall after NCCF intervention)
- The NCCF's intervention in business finance, by subsidizing tomato prices in Delhi, demonstrates their ongoing commitment to addressing temporary disruptions in food prices, like the one caused by heavy rainfall affectingtomato supplies. (NCCF subsidizes tomato prices in Delhi)
