Vellore public irked as tomato sold at double the rate of govt-fixed price

VELLORE: Public in Vellore are infuriated as the cooperative fair price shops (FPS) in the town were selling tomatoes at Rs 130 per kg on Wednesday against the State government’s announcement and sale of the vegetable at Rs 60 per kg in other places.

Owing to the difference in price, salesmen at FPS are having a tough time in answering public in Vellore.

DT Next witnessed a woman consumer confronting the billing clerk regarding the sale of tomato at Rs 130. The clerk replied that they should take up the issue with top officials, who only decide the price and not the staff at the FPS. Though the consumer was not convinced with the reply, she decided not to buy tomato.

When contacted, co-op officials said they have procured 100 kg from Palamaneri in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh after a gap of two days as most staff were involved in distributing applications for the Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme.

When asked about the official directive on Rs 60 per kg selling price for tomato, the staff said they had not received any notification from Chennai.

However, tomatoes were sold for different rates in various parts of the town and district in the open market.

While the vegetable was sold at Rs 150 per kg in Uzhavar Sandai, the rate in Nethaji market in Vellore town was Rs 120 a kg and Rs 100 per kg in open market at Tirupattur.

Rates were fixed based on the size of the produce, according to traders. DT Next saw small tomatoes in fair price shops, but there were not many takers even at noon.

The difference now was that contrary to the earlier practice of the vegetable being kept outside the shops, they are now kept inside and only the seller places them on the scales and not the customer, as was done before.