Onions still at Rs 70/kg in some cities

Pune: Onion prices are likely to stay firm for the next two-three weeks due to supply constraints, even as the central government has initiated import of the commodity, traders said. “New crop will start coming to the market after 10 to 15 days. The present arrivals are less as the area under kharif crop has declined by about 25 per cent,” said PK Gupta, acting director, National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation. On Wednesday, wholesale prices across the country ranged between Rs 15 per kg in Surat and Rs 42 in Chennai.

At the benchmark Lasalgaon agriculture produce marketing committee, average wholesale prices shot up 25 per cent over the past week to Rs 30 per kg. Retail prices have been ruling between Rs 30 per kg and Rs 70 per kg in different cities.