Chennai: The state government began selling tomatoes at Rs 60 per kg in 500 additional ration shops in the state from today to help people overcome rising price of the essential vegetable.
As per the government release, the 500 ration shops would include 100 in Chennai, 20 each in Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Trichy and 10 shops each in Dharmapuri, Kallakurichi, Kancheepuram, Mayiladuthurai, Namakkal, Nagapattinam, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram and Krishnagiri. Going by the government statement, about 15 metric tons of tomato has been procured and sold from June 28 to July 5 ever since the state government intervened to keep a tab on rising tomato prices.
Minister for Co-operatives Periyakaruppan attributed the price rise to fall in production and supply from neighbouring states and reiterated that the price rise was natural.