Tomato prices have shot up from Rs 10-20 per kg to a price of Rs 80-100 per kg.
The current hike in the prices of tomatoes across the country has many consumers concerned. Therefore, to enhance the tomato value chain and ensure its availability at affordable prices, the government has announced a 'Tomato Grand Challenge (TGC) hackathon'.
On Tuesday, the Centre requested students, research scholars, teachers, industries, start-ups and professionals to participate in the new contest and suggest innovative ideas to reduce the tomato prices, which are being sold at Rs 80-100 per kg. In a press release, Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said that the ideas could be on the tomato value chain to ensure its availability to consumers at affordable prices and help farmers get value for the products.
"The Grand Challenge invites ideas on comprehensive and focused area interventions in tomato value chain - from cropping and market insights for the farmers, appropriate cultivars (OP varieties or hybrids) with higher shelf-life of the fruits for fresh marker, cultivars specifically suitable for processing, value-addition through interventions that can increase shelf-life, improve transportation of fresh and processing products, innovative packaging and storage," the press note read.
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The entry of participants for the hackathon are invited under two tracks - Students, Research Scholars and Faculty Members and Industry individuals, Indian start-ups, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Limited Liability Partnership (LLPs), Professionals. The government announced that the winning ideas will be evaluated by experts followed by prototype development and field implementation for ensuring its usability/scalability on a large scale and the price of the product.
The Grand Challenge has been formulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs in collaboration with Education Ministry's Innovation Cell. Interested participants can apply on the portal - https://doca.gov.in/gtc/index.php.
Meanwhile, according to ANI, the high prices of tomatoes in Uttar Pradesh are forcing common people to cut down their daily food menu. The outlet reported that tomato prices have shot up in the markets across the country from Rs 10-20 per kg to a price of Rs 80-100 per kg. The reason behind this is the dip in supply due to heatwaves in tomato-growing areas and heavy rain.