Govt to offload more onions in markets to stabilise retail prices

PTI New Delhi: The government on Tuesday said it is keeping a close watch on onion prices and has decided to offload more quantities from buffer stock in retail markets to stabilise rates amid temporary supply constraints. According to government data, the retail price of onion is Rs 67 per kg in the national capital while the all-India average retail price of the kitchen staple is Rs 58 per kg. "The government has decided to upscale the onion disposal to address temporary constraint in onion supply observed in certain markets in the past 2-3 days owing to festival season and closure of mandis," an official statement said. Co-operative NAFED has indented two more rakes for Delhi-NCR and one for Guwahati this week. Similarly, dispatch through road transport would also be upscaled to ensure the availability of onions in the market.

"The availability of onions would be further accentuated by more supplies from NCCF, both through rail and road transport," it added. Moreover, the government has also decided to offload onions kept in cold storage at Sonipat to meet the requirements of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi etc. "The government is alive to the market developments and keeping a close watch to take ameliorative action to stabilise the onion prices," the statement said. The government procured 4.7 lakh tonnes of rabi onion for price stabilisation buffer this year.