Tomato costs less in open market compared to rates in Vellore FPS

VELLORE: Ration shop salesmen in Vellore are reluctant to stock tomatoes as they are unable to sell them due to its high cost at present compared to the rates in the open market.

On Wednesday, tomatoes were sold at Rs 80 per kg in autos, while it was Rs 10 more in fair price shops (FPS).

The Gandhinagar farm fresh outlet sold it at two size-based rates of Rs 90 and Rs 100. On Tuesday, tomato cost the same when sold through autos while it was Rs 15 more in FPS.

Similarly, the cost of tomatoes was Rs 70 and Rs 80 — based on size — in roadside shops at Pernambut while they were Rs 100 per kg at Gudiyattam.

FPS sources said, “Public argue with us demanding to know why the cost is higher in ration shops compared to the open market. Though we request officials not to send tomato loads to our shops, they continue to do so despite poor sales owing to the cost difference. When we try to return them to the farm fresh outlet at Gandhinagar, the salesperson there does not accept our loads willingly. Also, for every box of tomatoes, at least 3 to 4 kgs are damaged for which we have to pay from our pockets.”

Another issue is the ‘misconception that only consumers attached to a particular ration shop can only purchase tomatoes there, but the cooperative department has not announced any such stipulation.

“Even some women in Vellore’s Otteri locality had the same perception which then had to be dispelled,” a source said.

“Tomatoes are available, but the cost is high,” a cooperative official agreed.

But what surprised everybody was that tomatoes were sourced only from neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh through Christianpet in Vellore and through V Kotta near Pernambut.

“This will be a good opportunity for local farmers to cash in by raising the crop and produce tomatoes at lesser cost than what is procured from Andhra Pradesh,” an official accepted.