With prices on rise, onions continue to be tearjerkers for Chandigarh residents

The rising prices of onion continue to bring tears to the eyes of Chandigarh residents. Priced around ₹40 per kilogram just two weeks ago, the staple of most Indian diets is now available for ₹55 per kilogram in the city’s apni mandis.

In August, onion could be bought for just ₹20 per kilogram. The steep hike is being attributed to monsoons in Central India. The prices are expected to rise further in the coming days.

Punjab Mandi Board officials said onion prices are on an upward trajectory ever since the rains got intensified near Maharashta and Central India, the source of this crop. “The prices were as low as ₹20 per kilogram before the rains affected the trade routes. The price is increasing by a few rupees every day. A few years ago, similar weather conditions had led to a jump in onion prices to ₹80 per kilogram,” said an official.

With change in season, prices of summer vegetables have also been affected. In the past week, prices of both bottle gourd and ridge gourd have doubled. Chandigarh apni mandi president Parlad Singh said while the old crops were selling out fast, the new crop got destroyed due to rains in August. “Prices for all summer veggies can be expected to rise further. The new crop should be ready for harvest in a month’s time,” he said.

Prices of other staples, such as tomato and green chilli, continue to remain high and further rise is expected. Rajinder Singh, a farmer, said his crop of tomato and green chilli were spoilt. He said farmers like him suffered losses worth thousands and it would take a couple of months for the new crop to get ready. 

Farmers said sunny weather had hurt their crop, but things will improve with temperature starting to fall. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), light rain and cloudy weather is likely in the coming week, which officials say is ideal for this time.