Onion prices rise to Rs 40/kg, govt to import 10,000 tonnes

However, there is no need to panic, sufficient stocks are available in the country, a senior govt official said

With onion prices rising up to Rs 40 per kg in the national capital, the government has ordered to import 10,000 tonnes of the kitchen staple form countries including Pakistan, China, Egypt.

However, "There is no need to panic as far as onion prices are concerned, sufficient stocks are available in the country," a senior government official said.

Onion prices at Lasalgaon mandi in Nashik, which sets price trend of bulb across the country, have increase by 66 per cent to Rs 25 per kg from Rs 15 per kg, since the start of the month.

Whereas, the prices of key kitchen ingredient at wholesale markets in national capital have jumped to Rs 30 per kg from Rs 20 per kg in the last one week.

From last week or so, onion prices have increased by Rs 10 per kg, though there has not been any shortfall in supplies," Azadpur Mandi Onion Traders Association President Surender Budhiraja said.

Whereas, Mother Dairy is selling onions at Rs 38.90 per kg and it is charging Rs 40 per kg for the packed onions.

Nashik-based National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF) Director R P Gupta said the country has sufficient stocks of the bulb.

"... At present about 28 lakh tonnes of rabi onion is stored in the country, which is equal to the country's two months demand and at the same time harvesting of early kahrif crop has also started in Andhra Pradesh," Gupta told PTI.

Meanwhile, on behalf of the Centre, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) has already floated a tender to import 10,000 tonnes of onion in coming months.

"NAFED invites tender for import of around 10,000 MT onions from Pakistan, China, Egypt or any other origin meeting Indian import regulations. The exact supply order will be regulated in units of 500 MTs depending upon the requirement," the cooperative said in the tender.

Prices of the key vegetable have also gone up in various cities across the country.