Onion prices bleed consumers dry in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER 

GUWAHATI: The prices of onion have soared once again, touching the half-century mark on Tuesday. Ahead of the festive season, consumers are certainly going to feel the pinch of sky-rocketing onion prices.

The wholesale rate of the red onion from Patna on Tuesday was Rs 4,000 per quintal while that of the white onion from Nasik was Rs 3,800 per quintal. The retail price of the red onion on Tuesday was Rs 48-Rs 50 per kg and that of the white onion was Rs 35 per kg. A month ago, on September 5, the wholesale price of red onion was Rs 3,000 per quintal and that of the white onion was Rs 2,500 per quintal. Wholesale market sources said that onion prices have especially seen a hike since October 1. On October 1, the wholesale price of red onion hiked to Rs 3,200 per quintal and that of the white onion to Rs 2,900 per quintal. The retail price of red onion on October 1 was Rs 35 per kg and that of the white onion was Rs 32 per kg. This hike in onion prices has been attributed to onion crisis in Nasik and Patna due to which onion prices have increased in these two places. "This will have a cascading effect on the onion wholesale market here. Till the arrival of new onions, the price of onion will continue to rise," said an onion wholesaler.

Dilip Kumar Das, assistant secretary of the fruit and vegetable wholesale market at Pamohi, Gorchuk, said, "Onion is not a local product. We have to import it from other States. When onion prices increase in those places, we have to increase the prices here also. Today we sold the red onion at Rs 4,000 per quintal and the white onion at Rs 3,800 per quintal." He, however, assured that there was no onion crisis in Guwahati. "Today we had a stock of 90 quintals of the white onion and 201 quintals of the red onion," he said. The fruit and vegetable wholesale market at Pamohi is run by the Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board (ASAMB).

Wholesalers in Fancy Bazar also said that onion prices had soared in Guwahati due to a hike in onion prices in Nasik and Patna and unless the prices decrease in these two places, consumers in Guwahati would have to continue buying onions at a high price.

The wholesale rate of onion is Rs 4,000 per quintal but retailers were selling onions at Rs 48-Rs 50 per kg when the retail price should have been Rs 44 per kg. "We do not buy one quintal onion from wholesalers. We buy 10 kg-15 kg for which the wholesalers charge more than the wholesale rate. We keep a little profit for ourselves and then sell the onion at Rs 48 per kg-Rs 50 kg," said a vegetable vendor at the Beltola market.

Also Read: Onion at Rs 35 per kg through fair price shops during festive season

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