Onion prices may reach Rs100 per kg by month-end: Experts

The onion prices which may have dried the tears of homemakers by now, are all set to break the records of over fifty years.

By December end, experts say, citizens who cannot do without its taste may have to shell out Rs100 for a kilogram of onions.  

The prices which were at Rs35-45 a kg rose to Rs60-70 a kg on Sunday in the retail outlets in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

The wholesale price of the onions has soared to Rs30-60 a kg in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Vashi. 

In a bid to contain the skyrocketing prices, the Union government has decided to suspend the export of onions till January 15.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) in New Delhi on Monday. 

The wholesale dealers of onions in APMC are predicting that the prices will shoot up further. “By December end the prices will be Rs100 per kg as the supply will dip with the depleting stocks,” said Ashok Walunj, director, APMC. 

The Vashi market leads the pack in the wholesale trade of onions in the city. The price surge has been attributed to a lower than usual supply from Nashik, which contributes over 80% of onions consumed in Maharashtra. 

“Heavy and untimely rains in the onion procurement area ruined the crop and the production has gone down by 70%,” informed Walunj. “NAFED will start retail sale of onions from tomorrow through their own outlets for making onions available to consumers at a reasonable price.” 

According to Shankar Patil, a retailer from the Krantisingh Nana Patil Market in Dadar, garlic is also touching its highest price. “It is now sold at Rs320 to Rs350 per kg, but it will go up by at least 20% by the month-end,” he said. 

Mangesh Malusare, a vegetable vendor at Nana Chowk, claims that soaring prices of vegetables have brought down the demand. People who bought 2-5 kilograms of a vegetable, now settle for just one kilogram.  

“With diesel prices slated to go up, hike in toll taxes and administrative costs already rising, the prices of vegetables will increase further. The consumers would have to no respite for the next couple of months,” said Bal Malkit Singh, managing committee member of All India Motor Transport Congress. 

Homemaker Deepika Shah believes that the domestic helpers are the ones who are most affected by the rise in vegetable prices.

“We have two domestic helpers. Since vegetables have become very expensive, I can’t make all kinds of vegetables for them. So, I make do with potatoes, since that is the only vegetable which is relatively low-priced,” said Deepika.

“My family follows Jainism. Hence the rise in prices of underground vegetables like onions, garlic and potatoes doesn’t affect us at all.”