The all-India average retail price of tomato has registered a 29 per cent decline over last month as market arrivals improved with the onset of monsoon rains, the consumer affairs ministry said on Tuesday.
The retail price of onion is also largely under control at 9 per cent below last year level, it said in a statement.
According to the ministry's data, all-India average retail prices of tomato were ruling lower at Rs 37.35 per kg on Tuesday when compared with Rs 52.5 per kg in a month ago period.
Whereas all-India average retail prices of onion were at Rs 25.78 per kg on Tuesday, the data showed.
According to the ministry, the government has built up a reserve stock of 2.50 lakh tonnes of onion in current year, which is the highest ever onion buffer stock procured.
The procurement for the buffer has helped in preventing mandi price of onion from crashing this year despite a record production of 317.03 lakh tonnes reported by the agriculture ministry, it said.
"The onion stocks from the buffer will be released in a calibrated and targeted manner during the lean months (August-December) to moderate price rise," the ministry said.
Stocks will be released through targeted open market sales and offered to states/UTs and government agencies for supplies through retail outlets.
Open market releases will be targeted towards states/cities where prices are increasing over the previous month and also in key mandis to augment the overall availability, it added.
