New Delhi, Nov. 27 -- India has started selling subsidized tomatoes in the national capital and will expand the operation to other parts of the countries as well to cool prices, which have surged amid crop damage caused by cyclone Montha last month, two government officials aware of the matter said.

Retail prices have crossed Rs.80 per kg in several parts of Delhi, as the cyclone hit key growing regions in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, disrupting supplies. The ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution has decided to sell "Janata" brand tomatoes at Rs.52 per kg through the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), the officials cited earlier said on the condition of anonymity.

The government's move come...