Sustained imports from Afghanistan and Egypt help stabilise onion wholesale prices

PUNE: Wholesale prices of onions have stabilised, though at a higher level of Rs 55/kg for over a fortnight, helped by sustained import from Afghanistan and Egypt. The normal kharif crop in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and the welcome spell of rains in Maharashtra will increase availability of local onions from next month, but till then consumers will have to pay a higher price.

This year, onion prices broke the record of September 2013, and touched a high Rs 63/kg in August at the Lasalgaon APMC in Nashik. Wholesale prices rose by 80 per cent in August. Mumbai is getting about 50 to 60 containers of Egyptian onion every week, which are Rs 10/kg selling for less than the local variety. Similarly, Delhi is getting onions from Afghanistan via Pakistan. "About 2,000 tonnes of onions are being imported every week in Mumbai," said an onion exporter Danish Shah. Though the overall kharif onion crop in Maharashtra is likely to be less due to the drought situation in the state, the area under onion is more than normal in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and areas around Haryana. "Rajasthan onion will hit the markets from October, followed by MP and Gujarat.This will help compensate any fall in production in Maharashtra," said RP Gupta, director, National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation.

"The recent rains in Maharashtra has improved the crop prospect of Nashik onion. It will be available in good quantity from November onwards," said Ajit Shah, president, Onion Exporters Association.