Centers Offers Solution for Sky-High Prices of Onion in Delhi and NCR

As onion is touching sky-high prices in the national capital, the Centre has asked the Delhi government to take onions from its buffer stock and sell at a maximum retail price of Rs 23.90 per kg through its civil supplies department and ration shops. 

The central government data showed that onion prices are ruling at around Rs 39-40 per kg in the national capital, wherein some parts of the city it goes as high as Rs 50 per kg depending on the quality and locality. 

With the central government's direction, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), including Mother Dairy, are offloading onion from the central buffer stock in the national capital. 

As reported, Mother Dairy is selling at Rs 23.90 per kg through its Safal outlets. 

A senior Consumer Affairs Ministry official told in front of media, "We have requested the Delhi government to further boost supply by selling the central buffer stock of onion through its civil supplies department and ration shops". 

The state has been directed to sell onion at a maximum rate of Rs 23.90 per kg and take stock for a price of Rs 15-16 per kg from the Centre, as per an official report. 

As per a statistical report, Delhi’s onion requirement is 350 tons per day, while the NCR requirement is 650 tons per day. 

The center has created a buffer stock of 56,000 tones of onion this year, of which 10,000-12,000 tonnes has been offloaded by NAFED, NCCF, and Mother Dairy so far. 

Onion prices are under pressure due to likely fall in Kharif (summer) production owing to a 10 percent decline in sowing area in key growing states especially Maharashtra.