Crying Onion, Rate Doubled Within a Month

Bhubaneswar: The prices of onion in Odishahave almost doubled in a month which has affected
kitchens in Odisha. A kilogram of Onion which wasbeing fetched for Rs 23 to 25 has now crossed Rs 50
for over three weeks. Onion which is one of theessential vegetables used with spices, both in veg
and non-veg Odia delicacies now goes dearer for theconsumers. Owing to supply disruptions in Nasik,the kitchen staple is now being sold at Rs 50-60 akg. Some vegetable vendors in Bhubaneswar are evenselling big size, sweet onions at Rs 80 a kg, sourcessaid. Responding to media queries, General Secretaryof Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangha, SudhakarPanda said, onion prices generally shoot up inAugust- November almost every year before newproduction.”The prices are expected to decrease byNovember 15 when large quantity of new onionsarrives in the market from Bengaluru and AndhraPradesh and Maharashtra,” Panda said.However, Panda alleged that illegal hoarding ofonion by a handful of stockists, for a better lumpsum profit at deficit of onion in the market, hasbeen another reason behind the skyrockting prices. Crying Onion…The enforcement departments should check it before onion priceshit kitchens.Database of the Department of Consumer Affairs reveals, Odishaconsumes around 1500 tonne onion daily.On the other hand the national market status of onion tradingreveals,the average wholesale price of onions reached Rs 3,112.6per quintal as on October 26, a significant increase from Rs 2,506.62per quintal from October 1. The average wholesale price at theLasalgaon Wholesale APMC in Maharashtra alone has spiked bynearly 60 per cent in the past two weeks.Apart from it,on August 25, the central government had imposeda 40 percent duty on onion exports which made the interstate oniontrading even dearer.The prices had then begun to rise due to delayed and reducedkharif crop sowing.In view of consumers’ welfare, the government in few states havestarted selling onions procured by Nafed in wholesale markets belowprevailing market rates to curb the rising prices.

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