Onion, tomato prices unchanged; garlic rates ease

Retail prices of key kitchen ingredients, onions and tomatoes, today remained largely unchanged in metros, while garlic rates dipped by up to Rs 40 a kg and traders expect prices to come down to comfortable levels when fresh crops start arriving from early next month.

According to reports from the four metros, onion prices remained stable at Rs50-60 per kg (for good quality produce).

In the last two days, onion rates had dropped by Rs20 per kg from Rs70-80 per kg due to steps such as export ban and import duty abolishment announced by the Centre with a view to augmenting domestic availability.

Tomato and garlic, the other two vegetables whose retail prices too have risen sharply, continued to rule as high as Rs40-60 a kg and Rs250-300/kg, respectively, across key cities, although prices of garlic dipped by Rs 40 a kg in Mumbai.

Some decline in garlic rates was also seen in Chennai (by Rs25 a kg) and Kolkata (Rs10/kg).

In Delhi's Azadpur, Asia's biggest wholesale market for fruits and vegetables, onion prices rose marginally by Rs2.5 per kg to Rs37.5 per kg, despite arrivals increasing significantly.

"Arrivals have increased in Azadpur to about 1,000 tonnes on account of additional supply of onions from Pakistan via Amritsar...the prices will come to a comfortable level only after arrival of bulk fresh supply from producing regions early next month," Tomato and Onion Merchant Association general secretary Rajendra Sharma said.

Wholesale prices of onions have dropped by about 50% in the last four days in Nashik markets with the best quality onions available at Rs32-35 per kg.

Food and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar today told reporters at Ahmedabad that he expected the situation to improve further with the arrival of new crops.