Onion
– Photo: ANI
Expansion
A senior official of the Consumer Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday that onion prices are expected to fall further in the coming days as the arrival of the new Kharif crop has started. The official said that at present the average price of onion is all India. The retail price is Rs 54 per kg and prices have fallen in the last one month following the sale of government subsidized onions in major consumer centres.
To provide relief to consumers from high prices, the government is selling onions kept in buffer stock in Delhi-NCR and other cities in the retail market at a concessional rate of Rs 35 per kg. The government has a buffer stock of 4.5 lakh tonnes of onion, of which 1.5 lakh tonnes has been disposed of so far.
According to the ministry official, onions kept in buffer stock are being transported to major consumer centers through railways for the first time, which is helping in increasing the supply. “We will continue bulk rail transport of buffer onions until our stock is exhausted and prices stabilise,” the official said.
In the last few weeks, about 4,850 tonnes of onion has been supplied to Delhi, Chennai and Guwahati through rail rakes. Maximum 3,170 tonnes of onion was supplied to the price-sensitive Delhi market. “Another rake of 730 tonnes by cooperative NAFED is expected to reach Delhi tomorrow,” the official said. He said that this will increase availability and reduce prices.
The official said there was a sudden pressure on onion prices in the last two days as the mandis were closed and workers were on leave due to the festive season. He said that now the situation has started improving. The official also said that the production is expected to be higher.