With onion prices on the rise on account of its short supply, the government on Thursday ordered import of the kitchen staple to stabilise prices.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Price Stabilisation Fund Management Committee, chaired by Consumer Affairs secretary Avinash Shrivastav.
However, the quantum of import is yet to be decided.
The Committee also directed government agencies NAFED and SFAC to procure 10,000 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes of onion respectively from producing areas of the country to boost supply and moderate prices.
So far, the Consumer Affairs ministry has been facilitating onion imports through private traders, who have purchased 11,400 tonnes from the overseas market.
Drop in output
Onion prices are under pressure because of 25% reduction in cultivated area during the early kharif crop.
At least a 10% fall in total kharif output is expected, a senior ministry official said.
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