Onions at a nominal price will be available in the national capital from Saturday through 1,000 outlets, including 600 mobile vans, an official statement said on Friday. ‘The city government is facilitating sale of onions at reasonable prices across Delhi at no-profit no-loss basis. From 17 August, the sale would start at about 1,000 points across the city,’ said the statement.
Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday held a meeting with food and supplies minister Haroon Yusuf, Delhi development minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, chairman of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) Bijender Singh, chief secretary DM Spolia and other senior officials to discuss ways to curb the rising onion prices.
According to the statement, apart from the fact that Delhi is a non-onion producing state, heavy rains, floods and damaged roads in some parts of the country have contributed to the lack of adequate supply of onion to Delhi. The restrictions on movement of traffic due to security reasons ahead of Independence Day further added to the woes.
The price of onions in the wholesale market is Rs 50 per kg, but it ranged between Rs 60 and Rs 80 per kg in retail stores. Dikshit has directed all departments concerned to keep a close eye on the prices and availability of essential commodities including onions, pulses, sugar, tomatoes and potatoes. She also told officials to take strict action against hoarders and black-marketers.
Cooperative major Nafed may float a tender early next week for importing onions to boost domestic supplies.
In a bid to increase local supplies and curb rising prices of onions, the government on 14 August fixed a minimum export price of $650 per tonne for the commodity and asked Nafed to import onions. Following the government’s directions, sources said Nafed has started enquiring about supplies and prices in the global markets, including Pakistan and Iran. The cooperative is expected to gather all the information from trade channel partners by Saturday, they added.
The tender for onion imports is likely to be floated early next week, sources said. Besides Pakistan and Iran, Nafed is exploring the option of buying onions from China and Egypt.
Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday held a meeting with food and supplies minister Haroon Yusuf, Delhi development minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, chairman of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) Bijender Singh, chief secretary DM Spolia and other senior officials to discuss ways to curb the rising onion prices.
According to the statement, apart from the fact that Delhi is a non-onion producing state, heavy rains, floods and damaged roads in some parts of the country have contributed to the lack of adequate supply of onion to Delhi. The restrictions on movement of traffic due to security reasons ahead of Independence Day further added to the woes.
The price of onions in the wholesale market is Rs 50 per kg, but it ranged between Rs 60 and Rs 80 per kg in retail stores. Dikshit has directed all departments concerned to keep a close eye on the prices and availability of essential commodities including onions, pulses, sugar, tomatoes and potatoes. She also told officials to take strict action against hoarders and black-marketers.
Cooperative major Nafed may float a tender early next week for importing onions to boost domestic supplies.
In a bid to increase local supplies and curb rising prices of onions, the government on 14 August fixed a minimum export price of $650 per tonne for the commodity and asked Nafed to import onions. Following the government’s directions, sources said Nafed has started enquiring about supplies and prices in the global markets, including Pakistan and Iran. The cooperative is expected to gather all the information from trade channel partners by Saturday, they added.
The tender for onion imports is likely to be floated early next week, sources said. Besides Pakistan and Iran, Nafed is exploring the option of buying onions from China and Egypt.