Onion prices double in a week's time

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 30: As inflation continues to take toll of the common public, to add woes to the sore, the price of onion has gone up by two times in the last one week in Guwahati. It has been learnt that there will be no respite for the two to three weeks.

During a market survey on Thursday, The Sentinel tried to explore various reasons behind the recent hike and learnt that though there are multiple reasons behind this hike, the Srirampur check gate is another major reason contributing a lot to the hike. The traders in Fancy Bazaar meanwhile said that the price of onion is likely to go up more in the coming days.

The prices in Fancy Bazaar for per kilo onion (wholesale rate) as on Thursday is Rs. 32-Rs 40 (sik), Rs. 30-Rs 32 (Pat), Rs 35-Rs 38 (Gujarat), Rs 32-Rs 35 (Indore), whereas in the last week the prices were between Rs 18-Rs 28. The traders also informed that the transportation cost for per kilo onion to Assam costs between Rs. 3-Rs 7.5, whereas to other parts of India it costs around Rs 2 only. A trader said, “Due to the check gate at Srirampur the transportation cost goes up in Assam.”

On the other hand, market experts are of the opinion that onion export to Bangladesh from Siliguri, Pat and Gujarat is another factor which is creating an acute crisis back home resulting in price hike of the commodity. They also maintained that if the government puts a restriction on the export the prices will automatically come down.

The market experts and traders in Fancy Bazaar also said that the ban on coal export from the Northeast is another factor as earlier the trucks carrying onions to the State were loaded with coals on their return journey, which helped the traders to bargain the transportation price.

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