<p>Direction to this effect was given by Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K V Thomas after a meeting to review onion prices here last evening, an official statement said today.<br /><br />While agri-cooperative Nafed has six outlets in Delhi, the NCCF (National Consumer Cooperative Federation) has 15 such centres.<br /><br />Onion prices have risen to Rs 25 a kg in retail in Delhi and NCR, from Rs 20 a kg around August 15.<br /><br />Onion prices, which contributed to inflation moving to double digit number after a gap of five months at 10.05 per cent for the week ended August 20, have been showing a rising trend across the country due to delayed monsoon in key producing regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat.<br /><br />R P Gupta, Director of NHRDF (National Horticultural Research Development Foundation, set up by Nafed) said sowing of onion in major producing regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat have got delayed by almost a month due to late arrival of monsoon.<br /><br />Maharashtra and Gujarat have now received good rains in late August which has helped sowing of late kharif onions, he had said.<br /><br />During yesterday's meeting, the state governments were urged upon to take similar market intervention steps through their agencies, the statement added.<br /><br />Onion production for 2011-12 is estimated at 151.36 lakh tonnes which will be higher than the last year’s production of 145.62 lakh tonnes.<br /><br />But, due to rain in some parts of the country and delayed sowing of kharif crop, trends of higher prices have been noticed recently.<br /><br />The Minister directed the officials to keep a close watch on the price situation and take other appropriate measures like discouraging the export of the commodity, if required.<br /><br />The Ministry decided to have fortnightly review to keep a close watch on the overall price situation.<br /><br />The government which had faced tough time when the cost of the bulb had soared to as high as Rs 80-85 a kg in the retail in December end last year, is keeping a close watch this time to prevent the situation escalating.</p>
<p>Direction to this effect was given by Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K V Thomas after a meeting to review onion prices here last evening, an official statement said today.<br /><br />While agri-cooperative Nafed has six outlets in Delhi, the NCCF (National Consumer Cooperative Federation) has 15 such centres.<br /><br />Onion prices have risen to Rs 25 a kg in retail in Delhi and NCR, from Rs 20 a kg around August 15.<br /><br />Onion prices, which contributed to inflation moving to double digit number after a gap of five months at 10.05 per cent for the week ended August 20, have been showing a rising trend across the country due to delayed monsoon in key producing regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat.<br /><br />R P Gupta, Director of NHRDF (National Horticultural Research Development Foundation, set up by Nafed) said sowing of onion in major producing regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat have got delayed by almost a month due to late arrival of monsoon.<br /><br />Maharashtra and Gujarat have now received good rains in late August which has helped sowing of late kharif onions, he had said.<br /><br />During yesterday's meeting, the state governments were urged upon to take similar market intervention steps through their agencies, the statement added.<br /><br />Onion production for 2011-12 is estimated at 151.36 lakh tonnes which will be higher than the last year’s production of 145.62 lakh tonnes.<br /><br />But, due to rain in some parts of the country and delayed sowing of kharif crop, trends of higher prices have been noticed recently.<br /><br />The Minister directed the officials to keep a close watch on the price situation and take other appropriate measures like discouraging the export of the commodity, if required.<br /><br />The Ministry decided to have fortnightly review to keep a close watch on the overall price situation.<br /><br />The government which had faced tough time when the cost of the bulb had soared to as high as Rs 80-85 a kg in the retail in December end last year, is keeping a close watch this time to prevent the situation escalating.</p>