The wholesale price of onion in the city is now ranging between ₹60 and ₹95 a kg in Bunder and Central Market. The retailers, in turn, are selling it with a margin of between ₹2 and ₹5 kg.
According to Janardhana Saliyan, secretary, Central Market Merchants’ Association, the wholesale price hovered between ₹86 and ₹90 a kg, depending on the quality.
There is a shortage of quality onions, he said.
Mr. Saliyan said earlier the Central Market was getting five truck loads of onion a day and the wholesale merchants could stock some. Now, the supply has come down to three loads a day and all get sold daily.
Shoheb, a wholesale onion merchant at Bunder, said the fresh arrivals cost between ₹60 and ₹70 a kg while the old ones are being sold between ₹90 and ₹95 a kg. The big size ‘Egypt’ variety costs between ₹85 and ₹90 a kg, he said.
Another wholesale trader in Bunder said the traders are getting damaged onions, because of recent rains and floods in north Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Making use of the opportunity and citing short supply, some retailers especially on the outskirts of the city are quoting even up to ₹100 a kg and more, the wholesale trader said.
A retailer at Yekkuru in the city said he sold the produce for ₹86 a kg on Tuesday.
