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Onion prices drop to ₹20-₹30 per kg from ₹70 at Navi Mumbai’s Vashi APMC
Traders have attributed the decline in prices to arrival of new produce even as the old stocks exist and the lifting of ban on export
The prices of onion have fallen in the wholesale agricultural produce market committee (APMC) of Vashi after witnessing a sharp surge last month.
Last month, onions were being sold for ₹70 per kg, which decreased to ₹20 to ₹30 per kg for the new produce and ₹25 to ₹40 for the old crop.
Meanwhile, the prices in the retail market have come down from ₹80 per kg last month to ₹60 per kg on Saturday.
APMC director (onion potato market) Ashok Walunj, said, “Onion prices have come down considerably in a month. They were being sold for ₹60 to ₹70 per kg last month, then they came down to ₹40 to ₹50 per kg. Now the new crop has started arriving from Ahmednagar, Parner and Sangamner and the old crop too, is coming in large quantities to the market, leading to further drop in the prices.”
Apart from the abundant stock, Walunj has also attributed the decline in the prices to the ban on export of onions by the central government.
“The farmers were suffering because of ban on exports and the farmers and traders wanted the curb to be lifted. Lifting the ban helps in creating greater demand. The prices will stabilise further and the farmers will get justice with a fair price.”
On Saturday alone, around 90 vehicles carrying the produce arrived in the Vashi market.
Rajesh Yadav, a retailer in Vashi, said, “The effect of the wholesale market price reduction will take some time to show in the retail market as we have the stock purchased earlier.”
Another trader, Prakash Ramane, said, “There is still a lot of old stock in Nashik, Otur and Junnar areas, while the government has also imported large quantities of onions. There is no effect of farmers’ strike on the market here as we do not get onions from that [north] region.”
