Traders fear rise in onion prices due to fall in rabi sowing in Maharashtra

Some traders fear that the recent fall in arrivals is a signal and if farmers start storing onions in cold storages, prices will start strengthening and things could worsen in January

Rain deficiency in Maharashtra is affecting rabi sowing and onions, a commodity as sensitive for consumers as it is for one's eyes, might be among 

those affected.

Thanks to lower sowing and yield, the overall onion crop is estimated to be 10-15 per cent lower. A third of total output is from Maharashtra, noted 

a state government official.

Sources say the worry is when rabi arrival time comes in January, a price spurt is a possibility. The crop this year, 2018-19, is estimated at below 20 million tonnes, a second year of lower production.

Kharif crop arrivals have