Onion Price Hike: During the festive season and assembly elections in the states, the rising prices of onion are making people cry. The expensive onions have troubled the government. In such a situation, the central government has started controlling the prices by selling onions from its buffer stock. The government had recently removed the duty on onion export, after which prices are rising.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said that the central government is selling onions from its buffer stock in the wholesale markets of Delhi and other major cities. Apart from this, the government will sell onions in the retail market at subsidized rates across the country so that the common people can get relief from expensive onions. The central government is planning to sell onions across the country at Rs 35 per kg. More onions will be sold especially in those cities where prices have increased. According to Nidhi Khare, the government was expecting a rise in prices after the removal of export duty. She said that due to the government’s buffer stock of 4.7 lakh tonnes and more sowing of Kharif crop, we hope that onion prices will remain under control.
According to government data, the retail price of onion in Delhi on September 22 was Rs 55 per kg, which was Rs 38 per kg in the same period a year ago. However, in many places onions are being sold in the retail market at Rs 70 per kg. The price has reached Rs 58 in Mumbai and Rs 60 per kg in Chennai.
The government has been selling onions at the rate of Rs 35 per kg since September 5 through mobile vans, NCCF and NAFED shops in Delhi and other state capitals. The Consumer Affairs Secretary said that there are high expectations from the Kharif onion crop. More sowing has been done compared to last year. He said, supply will start from next month.
The Consumer Affairs Secretary accepted the fact that the prices of edible oils have increased after the increase in the import duty on edible oils but said that the government has taken this decision keeping in mind the domestic farmers. Nidhi Khare has expressed hope for stability in the prices of pulses in the coming months with good tur and urad production and increase in the import of pulses.
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