With soaring prices, Maharashtra may ration onions

As onion prices continue to skyrocket, Maharashtra is mulling providing the essential vegetable through fair price shops in the public distribution system, Revenue and Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse said on Tuesday.

"Onions are an item of day-to-day use. It's a sort of essential commodity. The government has been attempting to regulate its prices and soon we shall devise a way out. Despite this, if the rates become unaffordable, then we may have to supply it through ration shops," Khadse told media persons.

Onion prices have skyrocketed in the past couple of months, and are presently being sold in the range of Rs.65-85 in Mumbai, depending on the size and quality.

On Tuesday, Asia's biggest onion wholesale market at Lasalgaon in Nashik saw a fall in the bulk rates to Rs.4,850 per quintal from Rs.5,700 per quintal on Saturday.

Around 4,500 quintals of fresh stock arrived at the Lasalgaon market for auction and the situation is likely to improve with new stocks of private imported onion expected during this week, according to NAFED chairman Nanasaheb Patil.

"Around 100 tonnes of onions imported by some private parties is reaching Mumbai port during this week and that will provide some relief in the prices. We are awaiting details of the arrivals... whether more parties are importing, quality, etc.," Patil said.

This year, onion crops have taken a double-battering, first due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms in the state in April-May, and now, the failure of monsoon in large parts of the state, Patil explained.

However, new crops of onions are expected to hit the markets by mid-September which would ease the ongoing crisis, he added.