Given below a statement followed by two courses of action numbered I and II. You have to assume everything in the statement to be true and based on the information given in the statement, decide which of the suggested courses of action logically follow(s) for pursuing.

Statement:

Prices of tomatoes in the state will increase further owing to a gap between demand and supply.

Courses of Action:

I. State Government should take immediate steps to stop transporting tomatoes outside the state and buy tomatoes from elsewhere so that supply in the state can be maintained.

II. People should be advised to reduce the consumption of tomatoes.

Given Statement: Prices of tomatoes in the state will increase further owing to a gap between demand and supply.

Given Courses of Action:

I. State Government should take immediate steps to stop transporting tomatoes outside the state and buy tomatoes from elsewhere so that supply in the state can be maintained. → Follows

Controlling the outflow of tomatoes and sourcing additional supply can help stabilize prices within the state. Government intervention in supply management is a reasonable approach to address price hikes due to shortages.

II. People should be advised to reduce the consumption of tomatoes. → Does not follows

Advising people to reduce consumption may not be practical. While demand reduction could help in theory, it is neither enforceable nor a long-term solution. Moreover, tomatoes are a staple ingredient in many households, and simply advising people to consume less does not address the root cause of the issue.

Thus, Only I follows.

Hence, "Option 2" is the correct answer.