Delhi govt seeks Centre’s help to rein in onion prices

With onion prices remaining high, Delhi’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Asim Ahmed Khan on Sunday sought Union Agriculture Ministry’s help to supplement their efforts for ensuring sufficient supply of onions in order to contain their retail prices in the market.

Onions are adding to the misery of consumers, which at the retail level on Sunday shot up to Rs 80 per kg in the national Capital due to Okhla mandi and the Azadpur whole mandi, where onions are being sold at as high as Rs 65 per kg on Sunday.

“Onion prices are expected to rise further due to delay in <g data-gr-id="25">arrival</g> of the new crop in <g data-gr-id="26">market</g>. The upward trend will remain for some weeks,” Azadpur Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee official said.

“The onion rate at the mandis in Delhi is ruling firm because whole traders are getting the commodity at very high prices from key growing states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka,” said traders in mandis.

In a letter to Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Khan said unseasonal rains which partially destroyed onion crops have led to their lesser availability in the wholesale markets at Lasalgaon, Nasik (Maharashtra).

“There has been a recent trend in the upward movement of retail prices of onions and shortage has also been reported in the domestic market. In order to effectively deal with this crisis, Delhi government has procured onions through Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) and all possible efforts are being made to supply good quality onions to the residents in the national capital at the subsidised price of Rs 30 per kg,” Khan said in his letter.

He said, “The Centre’s support is required to supplement the efforts of Delhi government to ensure sufficient supplies of onions in order to contain their retail prices in the market.”