Price variations in tomato, onion, potato were higher during UPA regime: Centre

An official said that initiatives such as transportation through rail to various consuming centres from Maharashtra and the arrival of kharif onions in the market are likely to bring prices further down. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

As the prices of tomato, onion, and potato (TOP), the three essential vegetables in Indian households, remained high compared to last year, the Union government said in New Delhi on Thursday (November 14, 2024) that excess rainfall during this year has impacted the production of these commodities and pushed their prices upward. The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry also claimed that the price variation of the three items under the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was much higher when compared with the first 10 years of the Narendra Modi government.

The all-India average price of tomato, as on Thursday (November 14, 2024), was ₹52.35 for a kilogram; it was ₹39.2 per kilogram on November 14, 2023. In October, on the same date, the price of tomato was ₹67.5 for the same quantity.

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In the case of potatoes, the prices were ₹37.48 for a kilogram on Thursday (November 14, 2024). Exactly one year ago, the price was ₹24.9 for a kilo, and the increase in one year is 50.52%. Last month, on the same date, the price was ₹37.08 for a kilogram.

An official of the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry said on Thursday (November 14, 2024) that the prices of tomato, onion, and potato are volatile due to seasonality in production and their susceptibility to climatic conditions. “The timely intervention by the government, such as the sale of tomatoes at a fixed price when the prices were surging and the release of onion buffer, have however helped in stabilising the prices of TOP, as is evident from the fact that on month-to-month variation as of November 13, the prices of tomatoes have declined by 21.4%, while the increase in prices of onions and potatoes has been brought down below the level of double digits,” the official said.

The official added that initiatives such as transportation through rail to various consuming centres from Maharashtra and the arrival of kharif onions in the market are likely to bring prices further down.

“The comparison in price variation of TOP during 2004-05 to 2013-14, and 2014-15 to 2023-24 indicates that there was a huge difference in the variation in prices growth. The price of tomato between the period 2004-05 and 2013-14 increased by 205.55%, whereas the increase was to the tune of  77.23% during 2014-15 to 2023-24. Similarly, during the same period, the retail price of onion experienced a growth of 291.38% as compared to 41.07%. The retail price of potato during 2004-05 to 2013-14 grew by 134% as compared to 0.01% during 2014-15 to 2023-24,” the official claimed, adding that the lower growth/variation in the prices of TOP during 2014-15 to 2023-24 is mainly on account of better price management by the government.