Onions at Rs39-41 per kg at 480 Delhi outlets from Friday

The Delhi government will sell onions at Rs39-41 per kg at 480 outlets across the city from either tomorrow or Friday to insulate people from skyrocketing prices of the commodity.

Food and civil supplies minister Haroon Yusuf said the government has already placed orders for procurement of onions for selling at outlets across the city including Mother Dairy stores and Kendriya Bhandars.

"We will start selling onions at these outlets either from tomorrow evening or from Friday. The rates will be in between Rs39 and Rs41 and the quality of onions would also be very good," Yusuf said, adding raids were conducted across the city today to check hoarding.

Wholesale prices of onions crashed by up to 29% in comparison to yesterday's rates in the Azadpur market - Asia's largest fruit and vegetable market - due to higher stock availability, official and trade sources said.

However, retail prices continued to be in the range of Rs70-80 per kg.

The minister said the combined teams from enforcement department, food and civil supplies department and development department conducted raids and survey at various places including Azadpur wholesale market but there was no evidence of any hoarding.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit had yesterday ordered a crackdown on hoarders and blackmarketeers of the commodity.

"We are committed to make available good quality onions to common people. I am confident the prices will come down soon," he said, admitting that the hike in rates in "quite unusual".

The prices of onions have soared to Rs70-80 per kg in retail markets from Rs35-40 just a few days ago due to shortage on account of damage to crops in Maharashtra, Gujarat and some southern states because of rains.

Yusuf said availability of onions in Azadpur market has substantially increased from yesterday's 1,144 metric tonne to around 2,000 metric tonne. He said the availability of onions in the market had plunged to 740 MT on Sunday.

"There is no shortage of the commodity in the city. We will not allow traders to create any artificial shortage. We will not hesitate even to file criminal cases against those found involved in hoarding the commodity," he said.