NAFED help sought again as onion prices soar

BHUBANESWAR: Amidst soaring prices of onions, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Thursday sought intervention of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) to provide the bulbs at Rs 30 per kg in the state’s markets.

The minister attributed the price rise to short supply from Nashik in Maharashtra and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. Since there is no production of onions in Odisha, it has to depend on other states to meet the demand. “We have already asked NAFED to sell onions at Rs 30 here till the supply from Nashik and Kurnool is streamlined,” he said.

In September this year, NAFED had sold onions at Rs 35 per kg in Bhubaneswar. Since the last few days, onions have been selling at Rs 50 per kg (new harvest) to Rs 75 per kg (old harvest) at retail markets, depending on the quality. Vendors said once Kartik Purnima is over, the price may touch Rs 90 to Rs 100 as the demand for the bulb will jump.