Govt asks Agri Min to give more incentive to kharif onion to boost supply

The consumer affairs ministry has asked the agriculture ministry to give more incentive and impetus to kharif onion during the festival period in the winter season to avoid any spike in prices, a top government official said on Friday.

Normally, onion prices shoot up during the winter season, as stored rabi onion gets exhausted and fresh kharif onion cannot be stored. Currently, the sowing of kharif onion is underway.

Briefing media, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said the kharif onion plays a critical role during the festival period in winter.

"To ensure availability during that time, we have requested the agriculture ministry to give more incentive and impetus to kharif onions. This point was emphasised in the meeting of the cabinet secretary yesterday," Kumar said.

The country's onion production is estimated at 319 lakh tonne in the ongoing 2023 calendar year, slightly lower than 324 lakh tonne in the previous year, he said.

Onion is produced in two seasons -- rabi and kharif/late kharif seasons. The rabi crop of 219 lakh tonne has already arrived, the remaining 100 lakh tonne will come in kharif and late kharif, which will meet the onion demand in the winter season, he added.

"Out of 319 lakh tonne, a big supply of 219 lakh tonne from rabi season is already with us. From this, the government has procured 3 lakh tonne for buffer stock. The remaining 100 lakh tonne will arrive August-November."

The moment onion availability is ensured throughout the calendar year, prices will fall. These crops are seasonal and at some point, there will be a deficit. If you spread the production plus storage, the spike in prices can be avoided, he added.