In response to the skyrocketing tomato prices, which have crossed Rs 200 a kg in Chandigarh, the governor of Punjab has taken the household staple off the menu at Raj Bhavan.
The governor said reducing the use of tomatoes will help curtail their surging price and made an appeal to people to use alternatives for the time being.
A Raj Bhavan statement said Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is also the administrator of the Union territory of Chandigarh, took the decision to temporarily halt the consumption of tomatoes as a gesture of solidarity with the citizens of Punjab, who are facing the impact of rising food prices.
"Stopping or reducing the consumption of an article is bound to have an effect on its price; reducing demand will automatically lower the price. I hope people will use alternatives in their household for the time being and help to curtail the surge in tomato prices," Governor Purohit said.
The Raj Bhavan statement attributed the surge in tomato prices to various factors, including "supply chain disruptions, climatic conditions and other market dynamics".
"By forgoing tomato consumption in his own residence, the governor aims to underscore the importance of empathy, frugality, and responsible use of resources during these challenging times," the statement said.
Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Women Development and Child Nutrition Pratibha Shukla had sparked a row last month after advising people to grow tomatoes at home or stop eating them to help control their prices.
Advertisement"If tomatoes are expensive, people should grow them at home. If you stop eating tomatoes, the prices will inevitably come down. You can also eat lemon instead of tomato. If nobody is eating tomatoes, the prices will come down... If you do not eat tomatoes, then use lemon, whatever is more expensive, discard it, it will automatically become cheaper," she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
