Sakina Fatima
Hyderabad: Stuck by a shortage of supply, the price of onions in the City started to rise. A few weeks ago, onions were sold at Rs 20 to Rs 30 /kg and now being sold at Rs 50 to Rs 60/kg in the City. Even in Rythu Bazaars over the past few weeks, prices have risen steadily, and now they are sold at Rs 44/kg.
Depending on locality, It are now sold for Rs.50 and above which is essential for most of the Indian cuisines. In the shops and groceries stores, the price rises to Rs 60/kg. According to market committee authorities, apart from Maharashtra and Karnataka, Hyderabad also receives onions from other parts of Telangana like Moinabad, Shankarpally and parts of Gadwal and Kurnool. As Hyderabad witnessed, shortage of supply traders has started to increased the price in the local markets.
Shortage of Onions
P Ramesh, Estate Officer, Erragadda Model Rythu Bazaar, said heavy rains had obstructed the transport of onions to Hyderabad. He said, “Majority of the onions which have obtained during the lockdown are sold now. Once we get a new crop, the prices could come down.” Erragadda Rythu Bazaar is receiving up to 40 quintals per day, which caters to the needs of the public in the surrounding localities.
The biggest market for onions in the City- Mahboob Mansion in Malakpet, grade 1 onions are being sold for Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500 per quintal while grade 2 was available at Rs 3,000 to 4,000 per quintal. The damaged onions also sold at Rs 1,500 per quintal. Though second-grade onions were available at Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg in retail stores, as they were in bad shape, and most homemakers were refusing to buy them. “Prices are likely to rise further till Diwali as it would take some time for the arrival of new onions,” said Vishnu, a trader at Mahboob Mansion.
Last year, It registered a steep climb on the price charts going up to Rs 100 per kg, and when the supplies turned scarce, onion commanded a price of Rs130 to Rs 150 per kg.