The cost of onions in the nation's capital experienced a staggering nearly 60% increase on Saturday, nearly doubling the previous prices and placing added strain on household budgets.
Onion traders are attributing the sudden surge in onion prices to a supply shortage. Presently, retail prices in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) have surged to Rs 60 per kilogram, up from Rs 40 per kilogram just a fortnight ago. This is primarily due to the delayed arrival of onion harvests from key producing states such as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, according to an official from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
To provide relief to consumers, the Ministry has initiated the offloading of onions from the buffer stock in both wholesale and retail markets in states witnessing a sharp price increase. Since mid-August, approximately 1.7 lakh tonnes of buffer onions have been distributed across 22 states at various locations.
In retail markets, these buffer onions are being made available through two cooperative entities, NCCF and NAFED, at a subsidized rate of Rs 25 per kilogram. In Delhi, too, these buffer onions are being sold at this reduced rate.
Meanwhile, Ministry sources have revealed that they have procured over 5.07 lakh metric tonnes of onions and are poised to obtain an additional 3 lakh metric tonnes in the near future, which should help stabilize prices.
The government has already distributed over 1.74 lakh metric tonnes of onions in wholesale markets across various states, including Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, West Bengal, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Assam, and Uttarakhand. The official also indicated that onion prices are expected to start declining in the coming days.
