Siliguri: The price of onions skyrocketed in Siliguri to the dismay of consumers. Such is the situation that an eatery at Shiv Mandir, Siliguri has started selling ‘ghugni’ with apple slices instead of onions.
Ratan Sarkar, a food seller, sells ‘ghugni’, a popular snack made of peas or chickpeas, at his food stall in Shiv
Mandir area.
The ‘ghugni’ is priced at Rs 20 and the plate is usually garnished with onion slices but after the price hike of onion, he has switched over to apple slices at the same price.
“Prices of onions are higher than apples. Therefore, I discovered this unique recipe. Many liked this item, many disliked. We are helpless. Without onion, the taste of ‘ghugni’ is not the same therefore I decided to add a pinch of creativity,” said Sarkar.
Sachin Roy, a student and a regular customer, said: “It tastes unique and good. However, apples cannot replace onions in ‘ghugni’. We want the price of onions to come down as it was earlier.”
The current price of onion is Rs 70 to 80 per kg in different markets of Siliguri, whereas the price of apple is Rs 50 per kg.
According to vegetable traders, consumers are buying less quantity of onions due to the price hike.
“Onion production has decreased, therefore, the price hike. To break even, we have to sell 5 kg of onion at Rs 300 which is very costly for customers. Therefore, maximum customers buy less quantity of onions compared to the quantity which they used to buy earlier,” said Surya Paul, a wholesale trader of Siliguri Town Bazar.
Kabita Roy, a consumer, said: “The price has tripled. Onion is an essential vegetable. Therefore, we have to buy it at a high price. We hope the price decreases soon.”