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Consumers in a fix over soaring onion prices in Uttar Pradesh

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 10/27/2020 12:51:39 PM

Lucknow, Oct 26 Onions remain out of budget for daily consumers as their prices have reached Rs 70-80 in the retail market. The sudden increase in prices of onion, which is a kitchen staple in most households, has worried the consumers. Wholesale and retail vegetable vendors are blaming each other for the rise in prices. While few days ago onions were prices at Rs 45-50, they are now being sold at Rs 70-80. Nishatganj's vegetable seller Ram Swaroop said that currently, onions are being sold at the rate of Rs 45-50 at the wholesale market or 'mandi'. "Onion stock is not coming from Maharashtra. We are buying onions from the mandi at Rs 45-50 and have to add freight price for the customer. Since there is shortage of onions, hoarding has increased so selling them of Rs 60 to 70 is a compulsion for us," he said. According to data, wholesale onion prices in Lucknow came down from Rs 50 per kg on October 23 to Rs 40-45 per kg on October 25. Earlier last week, the prices had gone up to Rs 55 per kg. Similarly, the retail prices have reached up to Rs 75-80 last week but have now slightly dropped to Rs 65-70 per kg according to the quality. However, this rate is also expensive for daily consumers. After the government's intervention, the wholesale price of onion in major markets has come down by Rs 10 a kg. In view of the skyrocketing prices of onion, the government has fixed the maximum limit of onion stock limit. Apart from this, along with the ban on exports, measures have also been taken to increase imports. The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has also sought information about the requirements of onions from UP and other states for this. It has also has asked the state government to keep a close watch on black marketing and profiteering to control the retail prices of onions In Uttar Pradesh, onions are cultivated in barely 30,000 hectares in the state, while the production is around 4,40,000 tones. This is very less according to the requirement of the state. Onion cultivation is mainly done in Fatehpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, Banda, Lalitpur, Chitrakoot, Badaun, Ghazipur and Chandauli districts of Uttar Pradesh. The excessive onion demands of the state are met from Maharashtra, Karnataka.