Skyrocketing Onion Prices Hit Household Budgets in National Capital, Delhi

Skyrocketing Onion Prices Hit Household Budgets in National Capital, Delhi

VoM News Desk | October 28, 2023 | 12:05 PM IST | Delhi | Follow on Google News

Onion Prices Hit Household Budgets in Delhi

Onion Prices Hit Household Budgets in Delhi

The price of onions in the national capital on Saturday witnessed a huge increase, nearly doubling the previous price, which is significantly impacting household budgets. Onion traders are attributing this sudden spike in onion prices to a shortage in supply.

Onion Traders Voice Concerns

Before Navratri, onions were priced at Rs 25-30 per kg. However, within three days, the prices have surged to Rs 55-60 per kg, and in some markets, they are even being sold at a staggering Rs 65-70 per kg. The retail prices in Delhi NCR have now reached Rs 60 per kg, up from Rs 40 per kg just a fortnight ago. This surge is primarily due to delayed arrivals of the harvest from key producing states such as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, according to an official from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

Shortage of Supply Drives Price Surge

An onion trader at Ghazipur vegetable market in Delhi explained, “The inflow of the onion is low resulting in high rates. Today the rates are Rs 350 (per 5 Kg). Yesterday, it was Rs 300. It was Rs 200 before that. A week ago, rates were Rs 200, Rs 160 or Rs 250, etc. The rates have gone up in the last week. The rates have risen due to a shortage in supply.”

A customer at the market expressed concern about the soaring prices and said that earlier 1 kg of onion was available for Rs 20; now it is priced at Rs 50-60 per kg. If this trend continues, it will undoubtedly impact daily household expenses.

A vegetable vendor at Ghazipur market also chimed in, warning that if the shortage of supply isn’t addressed, prices could soon reach Rs 100 per kg. He stated, “The rates for onions have gone up the most. Rates for tomatoes have also gone up. Earlier, tomatoes were Rs 20/kg, now it is Rs 40-45 per kg. Tomatoes will also reach Rs. 70/kg if this continues.”

Challenges Ahead

Shamstabrej Raine, a wholesale rate seller of potatoes and onions, pointed out that onion rates often increase after Navratri due to the delay in the new crop. The cost of freight from places like Nashik has added to the overall increase in onion rates, making it a matter of concern for consumers. Despite this, government sources have assured that they are actively procuring onions to help stabilize prices. They have already procured over 5.07 lakh metric tonnes of onions and plan to procure an additional 3 lakh metric tonnes in the coming days. This measure is expected to bring relief to consumers.

While the retail price of onions has been affected due to the fall in the arrival of onions in Mandis, it’s important to note that the current prices, while high, are still lower than the soaring onion prices experienced in 2021 when they crossed the Rs 100 mark.

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VoM News Desk

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