Potato, onion prices up again

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, June 10: Prices of onions and potatoes are on an upward march again, with traders claiming that untimely heavy rains have destroyed onion fields at Pat and shik.

At the retail market, potatoes are being sold at Rs 12-20 while onion is priced at Rs 28-35. Till last week, potato prices were Rs 7-8 a kg.

The wholesale price of Bengal potato yesterday was Rs 750 (per quintal), while that of Agra was Rs 1,200, trader associations said. Similarly, wholesale price of onion was Rs 2,200 (Rajasthan) and Rs 2,300 (shik). The wholesale price of the shik potato shot up by Rs 100 today.

Indications from traders are that the prices of both the essential commodities might rise further in the next ten days. Retailers said in each bag of 50 kg onion, four to five kgs gets spoilt. “That is why we have to sell at a higher rate to make up the loss,” they said.