Amid Price Hike, Government Announces Tomato Grand Challenge Hackathon. See Details
NDTV
The Grand Challenge has been formulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs in collaboration with Education Ministry's Innovation Cell.
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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