Lasalgaon rates down but city still suffers onion woes

For the last two <g data-gr-id="34">months</g> the prices of onion in the national Capital are abnormally high. While the average price of onion per kg in the markets of Delhi is still stagnant at Rs 60, prices in the Lasalgaon market in Maharashtra have fallen to Rs 30 per kg.

The retail prices have risen, taking strong cues from the Azadpur wholesale mandi, where onions are available at as high as Rs 45 per kg.

According to the data maintained by Nasik-based National Horticultural and Research Foundation (NHRDF), wholesale onion prices on Tuesday declined to Rs 28.50 per kg at Lasalgaon from the peak Rs 57 per kg in August.

“Prices are expected to come down further in the coming months because of improved supply via imports and fresh arrival of the <g data-gr-id="22">kharif</g> onion crop in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka,” NHRDF Director R P Gupta said. 

The wholesale prices of onion at Lasalgaon are expected to be in the range of Rs 20-30 per kg in the coming days, he added.

State-owned MMTC has contracted 2,000 tonne of imported onion from China and Egypt on behalf of the government to boost availability and check prices.

According to NHRDF, onion harvesting in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are in full swing, while harvesting in Maharashtra has just begun. The onion supplies are expected to improve further as the crop in most states is in a good condition.

“Although production may come down in Maharashtra due to deficit rain, the country’s overall output is expected to be more or less at last year’s level,” Gupta said. Onion production stood at 18.73 million tonne in the 2014-15 crop year (July-June), slightly lower than 19.40 million tonne in the previous year.