Onion prices shoot up 71%

The wholesale prices of onion in the Nashik district's Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) markets have surged 71 per cent to Rs 651 per quintal just in the last couple of weeks due to low stock of rabi (Unhal) onion and delay in the arrival of kharif onion because of the unseasonal rains.

Meanwhile, the kharif crop has partly started arriving in the Lasalgaon and Pimpalgaon APMCs (jointly around 375 quintal daily).

The wholesale price of onion may go up to Rs 700-750 per quintal as the regular arrival of kharif crop will take at least 15-20 days. On Monday, it was sold at Rs 5-7 per kg in Nashik's retail markets.

Nashik is the major onion market in the country. The district produces about 12 lakh metric tonne (MT) of onion per year (including all three crops - kharif, rangada and rabi).

"The kharif crop of onion, particularly in Niphad, Dindori and Nashik tehsils, have been badly affected due to unseasonal rains and hails last week. This has also caused delay in arrival of kharif onion at APMCs in the district. Besides, around 40 per cent rabi (Unhal) onions, which were stored in the warehouses, have also been damaged. The average wholesale price of onion in the district APMCs, which were around Rs 350 per quintal before Diwali (by October 20), have gone up to Rs 651 per quintal today (November 13)," said market sources.

On Monday, the average wholesale price of onion was Rs 651 per quintal at Lasalgaon APMC, Rs 611 per quintal at Pimpalgaon APMC, Rs 500 per quintal at Nashik APMC and Rs 425 per quintal at Yeola APMC. Around 840 tractors of rabi (Unhal) onion (around 25,200 quintals) was sold at the Lasalgaon APMC on Monday, while 43,951 quintal of rabi onion was sold during last week (Nov 6-10) at Pimpalgaon APMC.

Unseasonal rains that had hit some parts of the Nashik district last week (November 5-10) have delayed the regular arrival of kharif onion by around 15-20 days.

Meanwhile, kharif onion has started trickling in at the Lasalgaon and Pimpalgaon APMCs. On Monday, 360 quintal of kharif onion was sold at Lasalgaon APMC and 30 quintal at Pimpalgaon APMC.