New Delhi / Mumbai. With the onion storage limit fixed, the skyrocketing price has been brought to an immediate halt, but the consumer will get cheaper onion only when the arrival of domestic product will increase, because imported onion is also coming at a higher price. However, imports are gradually gaining momentum as prices are high. According to information received from traders, 8000 tonnes of imported onions will reach India in the first week of November. The steps taken by the central government and the arrival of foreign onions in the domestic market have put pressure on the inflation of the onion and a further softening of prices is expected next month, although traders say that onion is coming from abroad With the cost falling above Rs 40 per kg, consumers are not expected to get much relief.
Ajit Shah, a Mumbai-based businessman and president of the Horticulture Producer Exporters Association, told IANS, “The cost of onion imports is currently hovering above Rs 40 per kg. At this price, imports will still increase, as farmers in the country are also currently importing. There is no harm. If onion imports are not there, then the price would go up because the supply of domestic supply remains. ”
Ajit Shah said, “The wholesale price of good quality onions is currently around Rs 55 to Rs 65 per kg across the country. In the first week of next month, about 8000 tonnes of onions are coming from abroad. Holland is sourcing onions from Egypt and Turkey. Also, onions are coming from Afghanistan via Punjab. ”
On the other hand, according to information received from the market sources, onion prices are rising due to which farmers are starting to withdraw their crops from the fields ahead of time, which will also increase domestic arrivals in November.
According to the price list of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) based in Azadpur mandi, Delhi, “The wholesale price of onion remained steady at Rs. 12.50 to Rs. 35 per kg on Tuesday for the third consecutive day.” On 22 October, the price of onion in Azadpur mandi had gone up to Rs 40 per kg, but the price has come down slightly after the central government has fixed the limit of onion storage on October 23. However in the country’s capital Delhi and the surrounding area The retail price of onion is still Rs 70 to Rs 90 per kg. ”
However, Rajendra Sharma, general secretary of Azadpur Mandi Potato Onion Merchant Association, or POMA, says that onion prices will only soften when domestic arrivals increase. The steps taken by the government have stopped the increase in prices, but the price has not come down yet. At present, imported yellow onion is being sold at Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kg while red onion is being sold in bulk from Rs 50 to Rs 55 per kg. ”
In view of the increase in onion prices in the country due to heavy rains in many onion producing districts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh due to heavy kharif crop of onion, the Union Government on September 14 first on the export of onions Banned. On October 23, onion storage limit was fixed. According to this limit, a maximum stock of 25 tonnes has been allowed for the wholesaler till December 31 and a maximum of two tonnes for the retailer.
The Central Government said that in the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, there is a provision that the government can impose a stock limit in certain circumstances when prices rise more than normal.
According to the central government report, the average retail prices of onions in the country have seen a variation till October 21, which is 22.12 per cent (Rs 45.33 to Rs 55.60 per kg) compared to last year and 114.16 per cent (as compared to last five years). 25.87 to 55.60 per kg). In this way, onion prices have increased by 100 percent compared to the prices of the last five years and according to the Essential Commodities Act, they have touched the price increase. Hence the stock limit has been imposed on onion from today.
Apart from this, onion is also being extracted from the buffer stock lying near Nafed. Nafed had kept a buffer stock of one lakh tonnes of onions in the last crop year, but it is being told that about 25 per cent of the onions got spoiled.
According to the report, onions have been steadily growing from the second week of September to large mandis in the country as well as retail distribution centers like Safal, Central Stores, NCCF, TANHODA and TANFED (Government of Tamil Nadu), and NAFED centers in major cities and states Is being transported.
In order to encourage private importers to import onions, it was also decided that MMTC would import red onions, so as to meet the shortage in supply.
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