THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, along with Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob on Tuesday resolved to strongly intervene in the market to bring down vegetable prices. The facilities of the Civil Supplies Corporation, Horticorp and VFPCK will be channelised effectively and vegetables will be sold at prices 30 per cent lower than the market price. ‘’The outlets should be put in place within two days,’’ the Chief Minister directed. Vegetables will be sold through 98 outlets of Horticorp, four mobile outlets, 25 VFPCK outlets and 133 Supplyco vending booths. Till now, Supplyco supermarkets had vegetable booths only at 26 locations, operated by franchisees. Horticorp will be given free space in the rest of the locations. Two Big Bazars in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam will also be in the list of outlets. The Chief Minister asked Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) Subrato Biswas to ensure inspection of the outlets once in every two days. Changes will be made in the operations wherever necessary. The APC has been asked to suggest changes and submit reports for the consideration of the Cabinet, with the prime objective of arresting the soaring vegetable prices in the state. The meet also directed the officials to procure vegetables directly from production hubs in the neighbouring states and look at the scope of selling at a cost even lower than the prescribed 30 per cent slash from the market price.
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