Onion prices shoot up in State

Onion prices have shot up across the State in the recent days bring tears for the consumers. 

A kilo of the vegetable cost Rs 30 in the Bangalore retail market on Wednesday while the wholesale price was at least Rs five to Rs 10 less in  Yeshwanthpur APMC yard and KR Market. 

At the Hubli APMC, the average price of onion was Rs 1,090 per quintal and Rs 11 per kilo. However, in the retail market it cost Rs 25 a kilo.

Hubli APMC Secretary K K Prasad said that farmers were not bringing their produce to the market since it was off season. The onions now in the market are the ones which were stored by traders. This is the end of the onion season and naturally the prices are going up. Farmers are waiting for rains to take up sowing. The new arrivals begin only in September,” he said. 

Sources said that the government had not yet applied its mind to take stock of the situation and ensure that traders do not exploit consumers. 

No review meeting as such has been held so far. Next to Bangalore, Hubli has high demand for onion, sources said. 

Zabijhan, owner of LGN Vegetables in KR Market, Bangalore, said that the prices of onion went up in the last five to six days. “Today, we are selling it for Rs 30 a kg in retail market, while it was Rs 18-22 some days ago. The arrivals have dwindled,” he added. 

Govindaraj of Vasavai Trading, Yeshwantpur, said the ruling price for a quintal of onion was Rs 1,600 to 2,400, depending the quality. 

However, vegetable vendors are selling it for not less than Rs 25. The stock is mainly coming from Pune and the prices have gone up by at least Rs 5 to 10 a kg, he added.