Centre to buy 15,000-tonne onions to create buffer

The Union government will start purchasing around 15,000 tonnes of onions from April to create a buffer (in case of a lean season), while it will start selling the already procured pulses from September.

Till now the Centre has purchased 50,000 tonnes of pulses, of which 5,000 tonnes are urad and 45,000 tonnes are tur.

In the rabi season, it plans to purchase around 100,000 tonnes of pulses, of which 20,000 tonnes would be masur, while 80,000 tonnes would be gram (chana).

Another 20,000 tonnes of onions would also be imported when required.

Retail prices of pulses are still ruling high at Rs 160-170 per kg in most places even as the rates have cooled down from the peak of Rs 210 per kg last year, following a slew of measures including crackdown on hoarders.

"In this Budget, there is an increased allocation for Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to Rs 900 crore from Rs 500 crore last year. This will help check prices of essential commodities, especially of pulses," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told reporters. Earlier, PSF was part of the agriculture ministry.

It has now been shifted to the consumer affairs ministry, he added.

Last year, retail prices of onion had rocketed to Rs 80-90 per kg.

The sharp rise in prices had forced the government to boost supply in the market by purchasing onions from domestic and foreign markets.

The Price Stabilization Fund would be utilized for this purpose.