Price of Bellary onions has shot up in the city in tune with the nationwide trend. Although the price of the onions had not risen as early as in some other parts of the country, it has touched Rs.60 a kg in the wholesale market here.
Wholesale traders at the Gandhi Market in the city, which caters to retail traders in several neighbouring districts, attributed the hike to the sharp fall in arrivals from Maharashtra.
On Saturday, Bellary onion was selling at Rs.60 a kg at the wholesale market here. The retail price is higher by at least Rs.5 a kg. Just about a couple of weeks back, the onions were selling at Rs.35-40 a kg. in the wholesale market.
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Wholesale traders here said that the wholesale market here was just getting about five to six loads of Bellary onions from Maharashtra, accounting for about 100 tonnes a day.
Normally, the market receives about 300 tonnes a day, said A. Thangaraj, General Secretary, Tiruchi Onion Commission Mandi Traders’ Association.
Mr.Thangaraj said that the arrivals had been coming down gradually over the past 10 days resulting in the steep rise in the prices.
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“Arrivals from Karnataka are just starting and we expect to get more supplies in another 15 days,” he said.
Meanwhile, the price of small onions was ruling steady at the market at Rs.25 a kg. “Though we are getting only 200 tonnes of small onions a day, against the requirement of 300 tonnes, the off take from traders in Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai has come down. These traders now prefer to purchase as small onions from Dindigul where the prices are lower by at least Re.1 a kg,” he said.
With the price of Bellary onions shooting up across the country, small onions are now being sent to even Andhra Pradesh from the wholesale market here, he said.