There will be no respite from the skyrocketing onion prices for some more weeks, said Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
Pawar told the media in Bangalore on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Eighth National Conference on Krishi Vigyan Kendras 2013 that onion prices will remain high for at least two to three weeks. He said, “I am not an astrologer. But I know something about crops. On my own assessment, this situation will continue for the next two to three weeks. Next two to three weeks will be tough and ultimately we have to find a solution. “
Pawar also asked the State Governments to invoke Essential Commodities Act against hoarders and arrest them. He also ruled out traders exporting onions to other countries. “Nobody is exporting because in other countries price of onions is somewhere near 500 dollars and in India, it is 900 dollars. So in such a situation there is no export,” he said. Pawar said he would inform Food Minister KV Thomas that the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India ltd is ready to import some quantity of onions.