The residents of Delhi-NCR are set to receive some relief from soaring onion prices as the government steps in to curb the escalating costs. This intervention comes in response to growing concerns over the impact of rising food prices on household budgets, prompting the government to step in to ensure that onions, a staple in Indian kitchens, remain affordable for the public. In order to do so, the Centre has decided to begin retail sales of onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg through mobile vans and NCCF retail shops in Delhi-NCR from Thursday (September 5). According to an official statement, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi will launch this initiative from Krishi Bhawan.
The sale through mobile vans will be undertaken at 38 locations including Krishi Bhawan, NCUI complex, Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, Patel Chowk Metro Station, and parts of Noida, it said. The market intervention is aimed at improving local supplies and curb rising prices of the key kitchen staple, which is ruling over Rs 60 per kg in the national capital.
NCCF has maintained a buffer stock of onions sourced directly from farmers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. This stock will be released for retail sale at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg to shield consumers from high prices and prevent intermediaries from making excessive profits. By directly engaging with farmers and selling onions at a discounted rate, NCCF aims to play a vital role in reducing the impact of price fluctuations on consumers.
India exported 2.6 lakh tonne onion till July
Last month, the Centre said that the country exported 2.6 lakh tonnes of onions till July of this fiscal year. "Till 31st July 2024, a total quantity of 2.60 lakh tonnes of onion had been exported in the current financial year 2024-25," Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs B L Verma said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. India had exported 16.07 lakh tonnes of onions in the last fiscal. The average procurement price of onion for the buffer in the current year was Rs 2,833 per quintal, which is 64 per cent higher than the procurement price of Rs 1,724 per quintal last year.
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