Centre to import additional 12,660 metric tonnes of onion from Dec 27

To deal with the current onion crisis, the Union Government on Thursday said it will import an additional 12,660 metric tonnes of onions which shall begin arriving in the country from December 27 onwards.

With this additional quantity, the total quantity of imports that have been contracted so far reaches approximately 30,000 metric tonnes.

The department of Consumer Affairs has also directed state-run trading firm MMTC to issue fresh tenders for additional 15,000 metric tonnes of onions, three new tenders of 5000 metric tonnes each today.

On December 9, the Union Government had revised the stockholding limits on retailers from 5 metric tonnes to 2 metric tonnes. The stock limits were only revised for retailers and it was kept unchanged for wholesalers at 25 metric tonnes. Importers continue to remain exempted from these stock limits for imported onions.

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan had also written a letter to all Chief Minister asking them to carry out immediate anti-hoarding operations to ensure the supplies in the markets are augmented and stock holding limits are strictly enforced.

At various places, the rates of the kitchen commodity have breached the Rs 100 mark, with the prices reaching as high as Rs 200 in some places like Madurai in Tamil Nadu.