Rising onion import from Pak fail to lower price in Punjab

Despite import of over 6,000 metric tonne of onion from Pakistan and hopes of early arrival of new crop, retail rates of bulb in Punjab and here continue to remain high at Rs 45-50 per kg. 

Notably, majority of imported onion from Pakistan are being consumed in various parts of Punjab and Chandigarh with the landed cost going up due to high demand.   

Onion is being sold at Rs 45-50 per kg in markets of Chandigarh and several parts of Punjab including Ludhiana, Amritsar, traders said today.

Retail prices of onion had tumbled from Rs 60-65 per kg to a level of Rs 40-45 per kg almost twelve days back because of increased supply of crop from neighbouring country of Pakistan.

"But the (retail) prices have not softened further even though the supply from Pakistan has increased considerably," said a Ludhiana based vegetable merchant.

He said the fresh supply of crop from Nashik is expected in next 10-15 days.

Close to 620 trucks carrying onion from Pakistan have entered Indian territory at Amritsar via Attari-Wagah land route since the start of first ever import of bulb from neighbouring country last month.

"Over 6,000 tonne of onion has arrived so far at Amritsar, imported by vegetable traders here,” said a custom official at Amritsar.

Centre had even abolished the custom duty on import of onion in order to rein in spiralling prices of bulb.

Currently, the landed cost of imported onion was hovering around Rs 25 a kg, up from Rs 18-20 a kg when the import commenced from Pakistan in the month of December.