Imported onions fail to make the cut

Onion supplies from Egypt, where the staple has a recorded history of 5,500 years, and Turkey have failed to attract consumers after evoking enthusiasm in the initial stage.

Last week, when five trucks brought about 1,000 sacks (each weighing 30 to 50 kg) of the ‘red onion’ from Egypt and the ‘golden onion’ from Turkey, the price came down from Rs 6,500 to Rs 4,500 for a 50-kg sack.

The retail sellers who bought the imported produce in small quantities, however, stayed away from it later, citing that the public doesn’t like the two varieties.

“Both domestic consumers and hoteliers are stating that they don’t want the onions from Egypt and Turkey. While colour is the problem with red onion, the golden onion is said to be bland and contains too much water,” said Lokesh K of Onion and Potato Traders’ Association.

He said of 200 sacks (50 kg) of red onions he had procured, about 150 sacks have remained unsold. The situation was similar in other shops at the Yeshwantpur APMC yard.

Mahesh, a wholesale trader, said another issue with the imported onions was their huge size. “The red onion is comparatively better but most of the golden onion bulbs weigh between 400 to 600 grams, which is too big for domestic consumers. Once cut, onions can’t be stored. Only hoteliers use it and they don’t like its taste,” he said.

Shashikant Kalyanee, the executive chef of Punjab Bistro, said though the taste of both Indian and imported onions was similar, the little variations may put off some consumers due to the sudden change.

“For Indian cuisine, the onions do not make much difference due to the overpowering presence of the spice. However, if one is preparing western cuisine, these little things matter,” he said.