Cong hits out at Centre over high retail prices of onion

The Congress on Friday attacked the BJP government over high retail prices of onion across the country and hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seriously address the issue on his return from the United Nations.

Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said although data received from the National Horticulture Board revealed that the average monthly wholesale price of onion in nine cities across the country was Rs 31.48 in September, retail prices are hovering around Rs 75-80.

He alleged that middlemen were reaping hefty profits in onion and demanded action against them.

The wholesale data does not mean that this is the price farmers are getting, but the production of onion has come down by nearly 20.79 per cent in August 2019 vis a vis August 2018, Vallabh said.

"Data reflects that by this hike in prices of onion, neither a common man is benefitted nor a farmer. Only middle men are earning high margins. We demand that the government ensure that this margin booking by traders should be stopped and onion should come within the reach of the ordinary Indian," he told reporters.

"We hope the prime minister will take action on onion prices on his return from the UN," the Congress spokesperson said.

"Would the prime minister ensure that onion is made available to the common people in the country at remunerative prices," he asked.

The Congress also played an old video of Narendra Modi, in which he is seen attacking the then UPA government over high onion prices.