Centre expands subsidised onion sales amid price rise
The Centre has sold around 4,000 tonnes of buffer onions across 17 cities in the first 10 days of its subsidised retail intervention aimed at containing rising prices, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said on Sunday.
The government has built a buffer stock of 1.21 lakh tonnes of onions for 2026. Agencies NCCF and Nafed are transporting the stock from producing states to major consumption centres by road and through dedicated railway rakes, including the “Kanda Express”.
The onions are being sold at a subsidised price of Rs 35 per kg in selected cities. Bulk consignments have already reached Delhi and Chennai, while another rake is being prepared for dispatch to Guwahati.
NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra said the federation has sold around 1,500 tonnes so far through retail outlets, mobile vans, cooperative societies and other platforms. The initiative is currently operational in Delhi-NCR, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Punjab and Odisha, among other states.
According to the Centre, the intervention has contributed to a Rs 2-3 per kg decline in onion prices in some markets. However, the all-India average retail price stood at Rs 50.79 per kg, compared with Rs 48.50 per kg when the subsidised sale began on August 28.
Officials said untimely rains damaged part of the rabi crop, while the upcoming kharif crop is expected to improve supplies from mid-October and ease price pressures.
with inputs from PTI
