Worried Delhi govt writes to Centre for help on onion prices

Says Centre's support is required for ensuring sufficient supplies of onions in order to contain their retail prices in the market

With onion prices remaining high, Delhi's Food and Civil Supplies Minister Asim Ahmed Khan today sought Union Agriculture Ministry's help to supplement their efforts for ensuring sufficient supply of onions in order to contain their retail prices in the market.

In a letter to Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Khan said that unseasonal rains which partially destroyed onion crops have led to their lesser availability in the wholesale markets at Lasalgaon, Nasik (Maharashtra).

"There has been a recent trend in the upward movement of retail prices of onions and shortage has also been reported in the domestic market. In order to effectively deal with this crisis, Delhi government has procured onions through Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) and all possible efforts are being made to supply good quality onions to the residents in the national capital at the subsidized price of Rs 30 per kg," Khan stated in his letter.

The Food and Civil Supplies Minister said "the Centre's support is required to supplement the efforts of Delhi government for ensuring sufficient supplies of onions in order to contain their retail prices in the market.

"Government of India may accordingly wish to impress upon the onion producing states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh etc., to prevent hoarding and black marketing tendencies, which may help in increased availability of onions in Delhi," the Delhi minister said.