Delhi: Kejriwal promises to make onion available at Rs 24/kg

With onion prices still ruling high in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the state government will soon supply onions at Rs 24 per kilogram across the city via mobile vans.

"We are about to take a step regarding the shooting onion prices here. We are procuring onions and we'll try to supply them to the maximum areas across the city via mobile vans. Tenders have been floated for the transportation of onions. I believe we will start supplying at the soonest," said Kejriwal during a press conference here.

Earlier this week, the retail price of onion shot up to Rs 70 per kilogram in the capital due to a reduced supply of the crop owing to incessant rains and floods in many parts of the country.

Speaking to ANI, Rajendra Sharma, a wholesaler in Azadpur Mandi, said: "The demand is exceeding the supply. Heavy rainfall in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan has resulted in the increase of onion prices in Delhi."

"In the past seven days, the wholesale price of onion's different varieties ranges from Rs 25 to Rs 47," Sharma said.

In Patna, the retail price of onion has also shot up to Rs 60.

With prices of onions seeing a surge for the past few weeks, the Union government had imposed a minimum export price of USD 85 per metric ton last week. The move is expected to curb onion exports and bring down the price in the domestic market.