The average wholesale prices of onion in Nashik district’s various Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) have increased by around 8 per cent to Rs 1,300 a quintal within a week. According to market sources, onion prices are expected to continue to be stable by January-end. At Nashik’s retail market on Tuesday, onion was sold at Rs 18-20 a kg.
The arrival of the Kharif crop, which basically begins in October, was delayed this year due to late arrival of monsoons and bad weather affecting the onion production in the district.
Low production of onion in Gujrat and Rajasthan states as compared to that of last year and rise in demand in intra-country markets like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Punjab have caused the price rise.
This week, the wholesale prices of onion have increased by around 8 per cent as compared to last week (Dec 29-Jan 02) in Nashik district’s APMCs. On Tuesday, the average wholesale price of onion was Rs 1,300 a quintal (against Rs 1,200 a quintal on Friday) at Lasalgaon APMC and Rs 1,251 a quintal (against Rs 1,161 a quintal) at Pimpalgaon APMC.
According to market sources, the wholesale price of onions in the district’s APMCs are expected to remain stable for the next couple of weeks. But, arrival of late Kharif (Rangada) crop by the end of January may cause fall in the prices to the some extent.
Nashik district is the major onion market in the country. The district produces about 1.2 million tonnes of onions a year. The share of Maharashtra in the production of onion is around 30 per cent of the country’s total production. In Maharashtra, Nashik district contributes 35 to 40 per cent of the state’s production.