Onion price rise makes consumers cry in Mumbai

The prices of onions have shot up to Rs40 a kg, from last month’s Rs15-25 a kg in the wholesale APMC market. In the retail market in Vashi

With unseasonal rain hitting new crops, the supply of onions to both wholesale and retail markets has reduced, leading to a rise in prices.

The prices of onions have shot up to Rs40 a kg, from last month’s Rs15-25 a kg in the wholesale APMC market. In the retail market in Vashi (FILE)

The prices of onions have shot up to Rs40 a kg, from last month’s Rs15-25 a kg in the wholesale APMC market. In the retail market in Vashi, the price has jumped from Rs40 a kg last month, to Rs60 a kg for the old onion crop. The new crop is selling at Rs50 a kg.

Eighty vehicles carrying onions from Nashik, Khed, Mancher and other areas are reaching the wholesale APMC market daily, against the average of 125 vehicles, said traders.

Manohar Totlani, an onion wholesale trader, said, “The rain has destroyed crops. The old stock is coming to an end. This has limited the supply to the market and hence the prices have risen. We expect the situation to normalise by mid-December, when fresh stock will come in abundance.”

Vashi retailer Sharif Shaikh said, “We are having trouble getting stock from the wholesale market. The quality of the new crop is not very good and it rots fast. We have no choice but to hike the price as we have to cover our losses too.”

Bhau Shelar, who sells vegetables in Parel market, said the rise was unexpected. “We had to increase our rates due to the hike in the wholesale market. Most consumers are not buying onions and others are going for smaller quantities,” said Shelar.

The consumers are hassled. “This is unprecedented. The government needs to do more to curtail it,” said Saeeda Khan, a Byculla resident.