Mumbai: While people across the country cry just at the sight of an onion, Wholesale onion prices at Lasalgaon in Maharashtra, Asia’s biggest onion market, on Monday fell further by Rs 3 per kg to Rs 45 on increased arrival of the crop. Last week, the government had said onion production this year is likely to be close to last year’s level of 18.92 million tonnes.
Onion prices had peaked to Rs 57 per kg on August 22. The rates have started softening due to an increase in arrivals after the government restricted exports and decided to boost supply through imports.However, across the country, the retail prices are still on a high of Rs: 80/- per kilo.According to the Consumer Affairs Ministry data, retail onion prices today are ruling at Rs 67/kg in Delhi , Rs 61/kg in Mumbai, Rs 50/kg in Kolkata and Rs 47/kg in Chennai. In Aizwal and Varanasi, onion was retailing as high as Rs 80 per kg, the data showed.
As per the data maintained by the National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF), wholesale onion prices on Monday declined to Rs 45 per kg at Lasalgaon mandi from Rs 48 per kg last week.
The Centre seems to have acted fast, perhaps in the light of the upcoming Bihar elections. The state-owned MMTC has floated a tender for the import of 1,000 tonnes of onion at Rs 45 per kg and the shipments are expected to arrive by September 10. They have floated the second tender for overseas purchase of 10,000 tonnes to keep prices under control.
Apart from import of the bulb, the central agency SFAC, along with NAFED, is suppling onions through Mother Dairy’s Safal outlets and booths of Delhi Milk Scheme for sale at subsidised rate in the national capital. Even the Delhi government is also selling onions at cheaper rate through fair price shops.
