Onion price rise: NSUI activists protest outside Odisha

Activists of NSUI, students' wing of Congress, on Tuesday std a protest outside residence of Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister R P Swain in Bhubaneswar over price rise of onions.

National Students Union of India (NSUI) activists held state government responsible for failing to regulate price of vegetable in state.

" state government has failed to regulate onion price and is instead attempting to project it as a national issue," NSUI General Secretary Rajiv Pattnaik said.

A kilogram of onion is being sold at Rs 130 in Balasore, Rs 120 in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur and Rs 110 in Rayagada areas of state. NSUI said some of ir agitating activists were detained by police.

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Meanwhile, Swain told reporters here that re has been an acute short of onions across country due to unseasonal rain this year, however, assuring that situation will improve over next three weeks.

" farmers in Nasik district of Maharashtra produced an aver of three tonne onion per acre which has come down to 15 quintals this year due to unseasonal rain. price of onion has gone up due to this in all states including Odisha," Swain said.

He said while Odisha imported at least 50 truckloads of onion every day from Nashik, t a single truck from that area has arrived in state this season.

Swain, however, assured that situation will improve once new crop enters market, admitting that Odisha has t been able to achieve self-sufficiency in onion production.

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