Odisha govt directs collectors to make onion available at fair price shops

Odisha government on Wednesday directed collectors to initiate necessary steps to make available onion at government fair price shops and Maitree outlets at no profit-no loss basis.

The State Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department has ordered the district administration to procure onion from the local market and sell those to bonafide consumers through government outlets.

This comes in the wake of increased prices over the few weeks with onion selling at Rs 4,800 to Rs 6,200 per quintal and at Rs 52-Rs 70 per kg in different markets of the state.

According to traders, the rise in prices can be attributed to heavy rainfall during the month of October and November which resulted in widespread damage of the standing kharif crop.

Supply disruption from growing state and the major source of imports for Odisha, like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, mainly because of the flood and the rains have also led to the rise in the onion prices, according to traders.