Subsidised Nafed onions selling like hot cakes in Delhi

Subsidised onions at Rs 35 a kg vendored by agri-cooperative Nafed is selling like hot cakes in the national capital following which the agency has increased the number of such mobile vans from Friday.

Subsidised onions at Rs 35 a kg vendored by agri-cooperative Nafed is selling like hot cakes in the national capital following which the agency has increased the number of such mobile vans from Friday.

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"Onions of all the 20 mobile vans (carrying about 500 kg each) sold within two hours of setting out in the morning," Nafed chairman Bijendra Singh told PTI.

One person is not permitted to buy more than two kg of onion from the vans (as also in the Nafed outlets) in a day.

Singh, who is also a Delhi MLA had on Thursday flagged off 15 such mobile vans.

These vans are scheduled to venture out at 10 AM and sell the veggie till 6 PM in the evening.

A total of 7500 kg of onion in the 15 vans were sold on Thursday in different parts of Delhi before the sunset.

Enthused by good response, Nafed, the apex cooperative organisation which regulates onion exports in the country, today added five more vans (each carrying about 500 kg onions).

This takes the total number of vehicles to 20 to ply them in different areas, particularly JJ colonies, Nafed sources said.

The Nafed chairman said by Tuesday the number of vans would go up to 50-60.

He said efforts are on to acquire permission to ply matador (that can carry about 2000 kg onions) in the day time in Delhi soon.

The mobile vans are in addition to the five outlets of the national agri cooperative selling the kitchen staple at the same rate of Rs 35/kg since December 21 in different localities of the national capital.

Retail prices of onion are ruling at Rs 50-60/kg in the capital.

The Centre has agreed to compensate 30 per cent of losses that NAFED would suffer in selling onion at cheaper rates.