Onion costlier than apple, next only to pomegranate in vegetable market

Onion is costlier than apple in Delhi. Millennium Post on Friday visited the wholesale vegetable and fruit market in Okhla to find that the vegetable is competing hard with pomegranate to become number one farm product in the wholesale market.

Apple of fair quality was being sold in the market at Rs 50 per kg which was Rs 20 less than onion. However, the ‘fair price shop’ of Delhi government was selling onion at Rs 60 per kg but the retailers selling onion in the market to small traders have fixed the price at Rs 70 per kg. 

The vegetable item was on top of the price list in the entire vegetable market as tomato was being sold at Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg. ‘Onion is expected to rule the vegetable market for at least one week till the arrival of new crop,’ said Sayed Pehelwan, a vegetable trader in the market.

The only fruit costlier than onion in the entire market is pomegranate which is being sold at Rs 90-Rs 100 per kg followed by Sapodilla at Rs 70 per kg. In the wholesale market pineapple was being sold at Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg and banana at Rs 40 per dozen while pear was at Rs 30 per kg. 

‘The hike in onion prices shows the mismanagement of the government agencies which are unable to act against hoarders. It’s sad that middlemen are benefiting but consumers and farmers are suffering,’ said Suniti Yadav, a housewife who had come to buy vegetables in the market.