Centre is mulling imposing stock limits on onion trers as retail prices of key kitchen staple have shot up to Rs 70-80 per kg in national capital and or parts of country owing to supply disruption in wake of excess monsoon rains in major growing states, according to sources. As per data maintained by consumer affairs ministry, retail onion prices rose to Rs 57/kg in Delhi, Rs 56/kg in Mumbai, Rs 48/kg in Kolkata and Rs 34/kg in Chennai last week. prices were quoted at Rs 60/kg in Gurgaon and Jammu during same period. However, tre data showed retail onion prices skyrocketing to Rs 70-80 per kg towards end of last week from Rs 50-60/kg in previous week.

Prices rise despite several measures

Onion prices are on rise despite several measures taken by central government to boost supply. " government has taken several measures in last few weeks to improve domestic supply and check furr increase in prices of onion. However, retail prices have suddenly shot up in last 2-3 days because of supply disruption due to excessive rains in growing states," a source told PTI. It is a short-term supply disruption and if situation does t rmalise in next 2-3 days and prices rise, n government may consider seriously imposing stock holding limits on onion trers, source said. According to Met Department, main onion producing regions especially Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Presh, Gujarat, eastern Rajasthan and western Mhya Presh has received excess monsoon rainfalls in last two days.

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Trers' comments

Right w, stored onions are sold in most parts of country as fresh Kharif (summer) crop will hit market from vember onwards, trers said. trers furr said that re is eugh supply of stored onion of previous year's crop in country but its transportation has been affected because of heavy rains. Much of onions are stored in Maharashtra, where rains disrupted transport of kitchen staple to or parts of country, said a wholesale trer from Lasalgoan in Maharashtra, Asia's largest onion market. At wholesale market of Lasalgoan, onion prices rose to Rs 45/kg last week, when compared with less than Rs 10/kg in year-ago period.

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Measures taken

Centre has taken several measures to arrest prices of onion in Delhi and or parts of country. It is offloing onion from its buffer stock through ncies like Nafed and NCCF which are selling at around Rs 22/kg and state-run Mor Dairy at Rs 23.90 per kg in national capital. state governments have been asked to boost supply in ir states lifting central buffer stock. Some states like Delhi, Tripura and Andhra Presh have shown interest so far.

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centre has a buffer stock of 56,000 tonnes of onion, of which 16,000 tonnes has been offloed so far. In Delhi, 200 tonnes a day is being offloed. Besides, Centre has discourd export of onion by increasing minimum export price and withdrawing incentives. It is also cracking down on black-marketers. Besides rains, prices are under pressure on likely fall in Kharif production of this year owing to less planted area under onion on account of excess rains, sources ded.

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