Onion prices come down in Tamil Nadu after 30 tonnes import from Egypt

The import has brought down prices to Rs 100 per kg at the Tiruchi wholesale market, which caters to five districts around it

With onion prices skyrocketing, traders from Tiruchi wholesale market, which is one of the largest in Tamil Nadu, have imported 30 tonnes of onion. The import has brought down prices to Rs 100 per kg at the market, which caters to five districts. In other parts of the state, prices range from Rs 140-160.

According to the traders, there may not be further imports as margins are set declining due to increased arrivals from Perambalur, Tiruchi and Namakkal districts.

Major wholesale markets in Tamil Nadu are dependent on onions from Bellary and Nashik, apart from procurement from neighbouring districts, where rains destroyed 75 per cent of crops this year. According to local media reports, the crop is raised on over 8,000 hectares in Perambalur district and on about 4,000 hectares in Tiruchi district. Traders say arrivals from these districts have plunged to 25 bags daily from 500, earlier.

Meanwhile, Centre is also importing onions from Egypt, among other nations. The Union cabinet on November 20 had approved import of 120,000 metric tonnes of onion. 

“The price of Bellary variety dropped by Rs 20 a kg and small onion by Rs 40 a kg on Monday in the wholesale market. The prices of both the varieties will come down gradually and stabilise at around Rs 50 a kg by next month,” A Thangaraj, general secretary, Tiruchi Onion Commission Mandi Traders’ Association, was quoted in a media report.

One of the wholesale traders, P Selvaraj, who procured imported onions from Mumbai, complained that he had incurred a loss as prices have down due to the import.