Onion prices crashed to as low as Rs 15/kg

As politicians trade charges at each other, onion prices in Bhopal crashed to as low as Rs 10 per kg, though the quality of the onion was not at par with that of ‘A’ grade.

Wholesalers in Nav Bahar Sabji Mandi told BS, prices crashed due to sudden arrival from Maharashtra. For the last two days onion prices reached Rs 100-110 per kg in all markets of the capital town which is poll-bound on 25th of November this year.

National Horticulture Board that records auction of fruits and vegetables however posted at Rs 57-70 per kg. “It was Rs 2300 for 40 kg sacks of onion,” a senior official in National Horticulture Board, Bhopal told BS.

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh and Delhi’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf had accused Shivraj Singh Government for remain inactive to check hoarding of onion as a result prices skyrocketed.

Neither Shivraj Singh Chouhan nor his party has come up with any clarification in this regard. On the other hand BJP had blamed UPA-led Central government for spiraling onion prices.

“As many as fifteen trucks arrived today with stocks of onion from Maharashtra as a results prices crashed to as low as Rs 5-10 per kg at wholesale prices, we have lost Rs 20 per kg today,” Faizal of Abdul Razzaq and Company a wholesale dealer in Bhopal told BS adding, “prices at retailers crashed to as low as Rs 15-20 per kg.”

“I have sold 40 kg of onions at Rs 15-20 per kg today since afternoon,” a retailer in Nav Bahar Sabji Mandi told BS. Retailers say they are under distress sale as indications of further crash in prices may bring down prices to as low as Rs 5-10 per kg tomorrow.

“We have participation in auction and bought the commodity at as low as Rs 45 per kg for ‘A’ grade variety,” Muveen Khan of Ghulam Rasoon and Company another wholesaler told BS adding, “prices of ‘A’ grade is expected to crash further but it would put us in huge loss.”

Bhopal receives onion supply from Maharashtra and a thin supply from districts of west Nimar which shares border with Maharashtra. The prices of Onion were hovering between Rs 50-100 for the last three months.

On the part of ruling BJP, it had served onion-less food to its thousands of workers who participated in “Karyakarta Mahakumbh” organized in Bhopal to accord a red-carpet welcome to its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.