AAP alleges 'irregularities' by NAFED in procuring onions

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party today accused National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation ( NAFED) for "committing irregularities" in the procurement of onions and misusing the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), leading to the nationwide onion prices crisis.

The party also questioned the non-inclusion of Delhi in the NAFED list of cities which were to benefit from the onion supply scheme at reasonable prices.

"NAFED had claimed to have procured 2,500 tonnes of onions using the Price Stabilisation Fund, stored in Lasalgaon and Pimpalgaon, when prices were low," the party said in a statement.

But the onions procured were never released into the market, it said.

"Not only has NAFED committed irregularities in procurement of onions and misused the onion PSF scheme, but the Central government has itself asked the NAFED to cancel a global tender it had planned to float for import of onions," AAP said.

"The Central govt has instead asked Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation ( MMTC) to import 10,000 tonnes of onions to tame the rising prices," the statement added.

AAP also asked the Union Agriculture Ministry to immediately step in and ensure that NAFED releases the onions procured by it into the market, to bring down the prices of onions.

Meanwhile, wholesale onion prices today rose to Rs 57 per kg at Lasalgaon in Maharashtra, Asia's biggest onion market, which could further spike retail prices in most parts of the country adding to consumers' woes.