All Important Onion Is Sold At Rs 80/Kg. Govt May Impose Stock Limits To Check Price Rise

The Centre is looking at imposing stock limits on onion traders as the retail prices of the major kitchen staple have shot up to Rs 70-80 per kg in the national capital and other parts of the country. The increase in price comes due to supply disruption in the wake of excess monsoon rains in the major growing states.

FILE PHOTO. BCCL

As per the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry, retail onion prices rose to Rs 57/kg in Delhi, Rs 56/kg in Mumbai, Rs 48/kg in Kolkata and Rs 34/kg in Chennai last week. The prices were quoted at Rs 60/kg in Gurgoan and Jammu during the same period, reported news agency PTI.

However, the news agency found trade data showing retail onion prices skyrocketing to Rs 70-80 per kg.

Onion prices are on the rise despite several measures taken by the central government to boost supply.

According to the Met Department, main onion producing regions especially Maharasthra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, eastern Rajasthan and western Madhya Pradesh have received excess monsoon rainfalls in the last two days.

FILE PHOTO. BCCL

Right now, stored onions are sold in most parts of the country as fresh kharif (summer) crop will hit the market from November onwards, traders said.

Traders further said that there is enough supply of stored onion of the previous year's crop in the country but its transportation has been affected because of heavy rains.

Much of the onion is stored in Maharashtra, where rains disrupted the transport of the kitchen staple to other parts of the country, said a wholesale trader from Lasalgoan in Maharasthra, Asia's largest onion market.

The Centre has taken several measures to arrest the prices of onion in Delhi and other parts of the country. It is offloading onion from its buffer stock through agencies like Nafed and NCCF which are selling at around Rs 22/kg and state-run Mother Dairy at Rs 23.90 per kg in the national capital.

FILE PHOTO. BCCL

The state governments have been asked to boost supply in their states lifting central buffer stock. Some states like Delhi, Tripura and Andhra Pradesh have shown interest so far.

The centre has a buffer stock of 56,000 tonnes of onion, of which 16,000 tonnes has been offloaded so far. In Delhi, 200 tonnes a day is being offloaded.

Besides, the Centre has discouraged export of onion by increasing the minimum export price and withdrawing incentives. It is also cracking down on blackmarketeers.

With PTI Inputs