Big sized Chinese onions to boost supply in Indian markets

Big sized onions, each weighing about half-a-kg, from China have arrived in Mumbai to boost the supply of the kitchen staple in the domestic market.

"Eleven tonnes of onion arrived here from China yesterday to boost the stock of the important veggie in the domestic market," Onion and Potato Market Vashi director Ashok Bajuj said.

The wholesale prices of the Chinese onion are ruling in the range of Rs32.50 to Rs40 per kg, he said.

The Chinese onions have been imported by a private company (Hindustan Trading), Baluj said adding they have been stored in the APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) godown in Washi in Mumbai.

The vegetable is of a big size weighing about half-a-kg each, Baluj added.

Wazir Bhai of Hindustan Trading said, "We have contracted 11 tonnes of onions from China on trial basis. More shipments will be ordered seeing the response of the customers."

"Five star hotels are showing great interest in purchasing the Chinese onions," he said.

Baluj said that customers say the quality of the Chinese onion is good but its taste is not that pleasant.

Prices of the vegetable are ruling high at Rs50-60 a kg in retail markets across the country on short supply.

To meet the demand, government has also asked state-run trading companies to source onion from other neighbouring countries.

Yesterday about 200 tonnes of onion imported by the government from Pakistan had landed at the Mundra port in Gujarat.