Onion keeps upward march unabated

Onion price moved up by upto 15% in retail markets on Wednesday across the country on reduced supply in major mandis.

In Delhi for example, retail onion price shot up to Rs 78 a kg on Wednesday from Rs 69 a kg the previous day. In the last three months, onion price quadrupled from the level of Rs 19 a kg.

Data compiled by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs showed a sharp jump of Rs 11 a kg in onion price in Mumbai to Rs 61 a kg. Similar price rise has been witnessed across all markets throughout the country.

While the Ministry data showed the prevailing price in key markets, remote customers continued to pay higher than the price indicated. Trade sources believe that onion price in the outskirt of metro cities have touched Rs 100 a kg which left consumers in a lurch.

“We have stopped using onion in our kitchen for the last one month because of its unbearable price quote. Instead, we can use green vegetables,” said Radhika Mane, a housewife staying in the western Mumbai suburb.

“In fact, many consumers like us have stopped using onion in their kitchen,” she claimed.

Data collated by National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF) showed that onion price in wholesale Bangaluru market shot up by 10% to Rs 39.50 a quintal on Wednesday from Rs 36.30 a quintal on Tuesday.

Arrivals in Bengaluru mandis declined 35,609 quintals on Wednesday from 60632 quintals on Tuesday.

While harvesting has delayed due to extended season rainfalls resulting into lower availability of onion for trade, farmers abstains from speeding up harvesting due to fear of high spoilage.

With a decline in arrivals from 11,043 quintals from Monday to 9,271 quintals on Wednesday, the price shot up by Rs 4.75 a kg in Delhi wholesale markets to Rs 50.75 a kg in the last two days, NHRDF data showed.