Onion price surges to ₹120 in Chandigarh’s mandis

Onions imported from Afghanistan and Turkey to compensate for low domestic supply and bring down prices have failed to do the job as even their rate hit a century on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the price of onions from Alwar, Rajasthan, has gone up to ₹120 per kg at apni mandis in the city.

“There is hardly any supply of onions in the wholesale market in Sector 26, which is leading to the high prices,” said Parlad Singh, president of apni mandis. “People are still hesitant to buy onion imported from Afghanistan and Turkey, which is why prices still haven’t come down.”

Singh said as the wedding season, which led to an increase in demand for onions, is over, the prices are likely to fall. Even truckers are adding to the woes, demanding high prices for transporting onions.

“With onion becoming so dear due to low supply, truckers are preferring to wait at Alwar, demanding high transportation cost. It has further led to the price rise,” said KK Abrol, president of the Chandigarh Transport Association.

Abrol said hailstorm in Rajasthan destroyed the crop, and it would take a couple of weeks for the supply to normalise and prices to come down.

Mandeep Kaur, a homemaker from Sector 20, said high onion prices have disturbed her household budget. Renu Kher, a homemaker from Sector 48, said she has been using onion sparingly for cooking.

Meanwhile, officials of the UT food and supplies department are carrying out regular checking at the wholesale market in Sector 26 to prevent stockpiling and to verify records. However, not a single challan has been issued so far, confirmed an inspector. Wholesalers can store 25 tonnes of onion while retailers can’t keep more than 2 tonnes.

PRICE WATCH

Onion rates (per kg) in Chandigarh

Wholesale market: ₹100-105

Apni mandi: ₹120

Vending sites: ₹130-140

Online: ₹140