With the nationwide protests due to the Citizenship Amendment Act causing disruptions across the country, what adds to the citizen’s frustration is the surging price of onions.
Onion prices have soared across the country and has impacted the National Capital Region (NCR) as well. While the retail price is between Rs 130 and Rs 140 per kilogram, the wholesale rate varies as per the variety.
Onions imported from Turkey and Afghanistan are being sold at Rs 40 to Rs 60 per kilogram. However, the Indian onion – primarily from Nasik – is being sold at a whopping Rs 95 per kilogram.
Haji Yameen, a wholesaler at Okhla Mandi says, “Shortage in the supply of onions has resulted in this unproportionate price hike. Similar conditions are likely to last for 15 to 20 days. The onions are being sold in wholesale markets at different prices depending on the variety and the place of import. However, Indian onions are the most expensive here.”
Fortunately, in the wholesale market, the price of onion has eased after an increase in production of both – the local as well as the overseas variety. Onion has been imported from Turkey, Egypt and Afghanistan.
The kitchen staple being imported from Afghanistan costs Rs 50 per kg whereas the ones being imported from Turkey and Egypt cost Rs 40 per kg.
Wholesalers at the Azadpur Mandi are of the view that had the bulb not been imported from other countries, the prices of the kitchen staple would have gone up to Rs 200 per kg in the country.
“There has been a shortage of onions being produced in states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra. However, things are still better this week as prices have come down by Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kg. This is mostly because of the imported onion. However, it doesn’t taste as good as the Indian onion,” said Rajendra Sharma, President, Onion Merchant Association.
Wholesaler Surendra Buddhiraja said that they are hardly getting the famous ‘Nasik ka pyaaz’.
“There are only around a truck or two that bring the onions from Nasik. It’s sold at nothing less than Rs 95 per kg,” said Buddhiraja.
Retail onion price in Delhi in most areas is around Rs 100 per kg. However, in some parts of the city, the rates could be as high as Rs 140 per kg.
Traders are of the view that onion prices will continue to remain firm till January when late kharif crop will start hitting the market.
