VELLORE: Even as fair price shops in Vellore were relieved with the assurance from higher officials that any loss accrued due to the sale of tomatoes at a subsidised price of Rs 60 per kg, would be compensated, the size and quality of the fruit is becoming a sore point.

These columns highlighted last Thursday that tomatoes purchased for Rs 130 per kg from Palamaneri in Andhra Pradesh were sold for the same rate at co-operative shops at Gandhinagar in Vellore, not adhering to the government order to sell the vegetable at Rs 60 per kg. Government officials in Chennai allegedly pulled up Vellore district officials over the difference in price.

As the government started the supply, Gandhinagar shops procured tomatoes at Rs 90 per kg and sold them Rs 20 less, but in limited quantities to avoid huge losses over the subsidised sale, sources said.

Traders of Andhra Pradesh are reportedly supplying tomatoes that are small in size apart from damaged ones for the procurement of Vellore region, knowing well that the government cannot refuse their loads due to the crisis.

Trader RJ Moorthi said, “Madanapalle in Andhra, 75 km from Vellore, the main tomato market of Chittoor district, has been getting only 40 loads a day against the over 100 loads during normal days. This has resulted in tomatoes being sorted size and quality wise with the smallest being allocated for government procurement.”

A woman who purchased tomatoes at a Gandhinagar shop on Saturday said, “we are forced to accept even damaged and rotten tomatoes as there is no other alternative. When the government pays for tomatoes why cannot they ensure that they are provided in good quality.”

A senior official said, “solution for this would be to send government representatives to the procurement point, either in Palamaneri or Madanapalle in Andhra, to ensure supply of good produce.”