Delhiites will have to shed more tears over the rising p rices of onion in the National Capital at least for a week. According to an assessment by the Delhi Government, onion prices are likely to come down during navratra when majority of Hindu families desist from consuming onion.
“The prices will come down significantly in the next 5-10 days. We are doing everything possible to stabilise the rates,” said Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, who looks after functioning of the wholesale vegetable markets. Chauhan is hoping that the prices will decrease during navratras.
However, Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf blamed the rising prices on short supply from onion producing States. Yusuf alleged that the BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh was not taking action against hoarders. “We get supply of onion from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and a number of States. The supply of onion to Delhi has been affected also due to large-scale hoarding in Madhya Pradesh. I think they are doing it with a purpose,” Yusuf said.
Following the direction of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf and Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan held a meeting with officials of Azadpur mandi to assess the situation. Prices of onion have again gone up to `80 per kg in the retail market in the city after stabilising to around `55 earlier this month.
The Delhi Government’s outlets are selling it at `60 per kg. “The BJP is politicising the issue which is very unfortunate. During the BJP rule in 1998, onion was selling at Rs 80 per kg. If you calculate inflation and other parameters, the rate should have touched Rs 700 if you compare it with the rate 15 years ago,” Yusuf said. The BJP was voted out of power in 1998 in Delhi following spiralling onion prices. The Assembly polls in Delhi are slated for November. “I appeal to the Madhya Pradesh Government to come down hard on hoarders. The BJP should not take help of onion prices to win election in Delhi,” said Yusuf.
Total stock of onion in Azadpur mandi is 1,555 tonnes and due to high price, there is a decline in the sale as only 360 tonnes were sold as compared to 900 tonnes in last year during the same day.
Wholesale prices of onion in Azadpur mandi rose by Rs 5 per kg to Rs 60 per kg due to fall in supplies. The wholesale price of onion in Madhya Pradesh was Rs 50-55 per kg on Wednesday while in Karnataka, it was being sold between Rs 35 and 46 per kg depending on the quality. In Maharashtra, the wholesale market closed between Rs 58-62.50 per kg.