Centre okays import of 1k tonnes of onions

The Centre on Thursday approved  import of 1,000 tonnes of onions by the state-owned MMTC at Rs 45 a kg from Pakistan, Egypt, China and other countries that have surplus stocks.

The shipments are expected to reach Chennai or Mumbai ports by September 10.It was done after the government turned to the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) set up last year to rein in rising prices of onions.

The PSF monitoring committee, headed by Agriculture Secretary Siraj Hussain, approved the import. The MMTC had floated a tender for importing 1,000 tonnes of onions but received only one bid, the Singapore-based Cross Trade Line for the approved quantity.

The PSF committee subsequently asked to float a fresh tender for importing 10,000 tonnes of onions on Friday.

Meanwhile, arrivals from Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have also put a check on the rising prices of the vegetable in the wholesale markets in Lasalgaon in Maharashtra and Delhi, respectively.

The wholesale prices of onions at Lasalgaon dropped significantly to Rs 4,800 per quintal on Thursday as against Rs 5,700 per quintal on Saturday.

According to a database prepared by the National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation, onions were sold at a modal price of Rs 4,800 per quintal at Lasalgaon. The prices of onions have come down in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, too.