Rising concerns over delayed arrival of kharif crop push wholesale onion prices up in Maha

Wholesale onion prices have shot up around 30% in a week at the mandis in Maharashtra's Nashik district owing to concerns over the delay in arrival of the kharif crop.

In other states, where the government is selling onions in wholesale markets, the price increase is lower than in Nashik, which is considered the benchmark for the country's onion prices.

According to data provided by Agmarknet, in most of the wholesale markets in Nashik district, including the benchmark Lasalgaon agricultural produce marketing committee, onion prices have increased to ₹32-33 per kg from ₹23-24 per kg last week.


"Onion prices have started rising again as the arrival of the kharif crop of red onions is expected to be delayed by one month. The rainfall in north Maharashtra's onion belt was significantly deficient," said a Mumbai-based exporter, who requested not to be identified.

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During the monsoon months, onions supplies come from last season's rabi crop which is stored by farmers after harvest during March-April. This year, the quality of the stored onions was not good. There are also concerns over the new crop due to delayed and insufficient rainfall in Maharashtra, the top onion producing state in the country.

The monthly price trend analysis shows that in many states, including Delhi, wholesale onion prices have increased 5-7% month-on-month in October, while in Maharashtra, prices have surged 15% month-on-month.