Odisha to launch onion mission

To tackle teary vegetable shortage in the state

After the spiralling onion prices burnt hole in the pockets of consumers, the state government today decided to launch an Onion Mission to tackle the teary vegetable shortage in the state.

"Due to lack of storage facilities in the state , the farmers are forced to sale the vegetable in the neighbouring states - Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The state government would soon launch an Onion Mission in line with the Potato Mission," said Pradeep Maharathy, state agriculture minister while claiming that the production of onion in Odisha is more than the demand. As per the government estimates, Odisha produces 3.95 lakh tonnes of onions every year against its requirement of 2.97 lakh tonnes. The state government also aims to provide easy loans and high yielding seeds to the farmers. Meanwhile, the state cooperation department has decided to set up additional ten cold storages through Regional Cooperative Marketing Societies (RCMS).

Onion was selling at Rs 35 per kg barely a week ago. Its price has spiralled to Rs 45 a kg now.

"Due to lower production in Nasik, the prices have sky rocketed. With fresh arrivals of onion from Andhra Pradesh we are hopeful that the prices may come down to about Rs 25 per kg," said Sudhakar Panda, general secretary, Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangha.

State cooperation minister Damodar Rout said, civil supply corporation should declare a support price for the farmers to help them in selling the vegetable. Stating that onion is available adequately in the market, Sanjay Kumar Das Burma, minister for food supplies & consumer welfare said, "there is absolutely no need to panic."