At ₹80 per kilo, onion touches year’s new high in Chandigarh
The price of tomatoes has come down to ₹30 per kg, a drop of 50% from the previous week
The price of onions in the apni mandis of the city has gone up to ₹80 per kg, the highest this year and is likely to rise even more due to poor supply. The price has risen by 33.3% in a week — from ₹60 to ₹80.
President of the apni mandis Prahlad Singh said, “In around two decades in Chandigarh, the price of onions never reached ₹80 per kg. The supply hasn’t reached the city this week and farmers are earning little from onion produce.”
Officials at an apni mandi said, “Most onions in the mandis have come from stores and the stock will run out within a few days. No fresh supply of the commodity reached the city on Saturday. The price may increased further if supplies don’t become normal. Only onion from Rajasthan will be available in the market and none from Nashik.”
Political scenario of Maharashtra to blame
A senior official of the UT food and supplies department, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The shortage of onions isn’t just in Chandigarh but all over the country. It is happening due to the political upheavals in Maharashtra. Nashik supplies major portion of the onions across the country and, at times, the commodity is used as a tool to meet political ends.” Officials confirmed that there is very little supply of onions in Sector 26 mandi and wholesale rate is ₹70 per kg there.
Meanwhile, the price of tomatoes has come down to ₹30 per kg, a drop of 50% from the previous week.