After tomato, onion prices go north in Pune

After tomatoes, now, the price of onions has shot up in the wholesale and retail market in the state and the country. Till last week, onions were sold at Rs.10 per kg in the retail market and has now increased to almost Rs.30 per kg since the last three-four days in Pune. 

Since the last two months, tomato prices were on the rise and reached more than Rs.100 per kg. Now, onion prices are increasing because of less availability. 

Pune Agriculture Produce Market Committee's traders president Vilas Bhujwal spoke to Hindustan Times and said, “The prices of the onion have increased since the last three-four days and will remain high for at least one month. The price of onions in the Pune wholesale market is Rs.250 to Rs.280 for 10 kg. Till last week, onions were available at throw away prices and were available at a maximum Rs.70 for 10 kg in the wholesale market.” 

Bhujwal said that the price situation is same all over the state and rest of the country as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are the main two onion producer states and there is less availability of the crop. 

The new season will start by September, and later the prices would become stable, said Bhujbal. 

A retailer, Satish Bhavsar, said that since good quality onions are being sold at almost Rs.25 per kg in the wholesale market, it is natural that the prices would get increase in the retail market. The prices are around Rs.30 per kg in the retail market but it is likely that they will increase further. 

Onion farmer from Nampur in Satana taluka in Nashik district, Rupesh Sawant, said that it is good that the onion prices are increasing. Since last three years, onion were getting the worst price and farmers were putting in more inputs but were not able to recover the production cost. If people living in Mumbai and Pune get onions at Rs.5 per kg in their locality, they should introspect whether the farmer is getting any money or not.