Onions are literally bringing tears to the buyers with the prices soaring up to ₹45 a kg at rythu bazars while the same is hovering around ₹60 per kg in the open market in the city.
However, the scramble at the rythu bazars seemed to have eased a little on Tuesday, with the procurement of more stocks and opening of additional counters.
Not long ago, onions were available for ₹20 a kg. According to traders, floods in Maharashtra, which supplies onions to the State, have affected the supply, adding that the shortage is being partially met by procurement of stocks from Kurnool.
Consumers complained that traders were hoarding stocks and selling them at higher prices. The heat generated by onions has made some super markets to sell them at prices slightly lower than that of the open market to attract customers.
Despite the high price, quality of onions is not consistent. Meanwhile, Minister for Marketing and Fisheries Mopidevi Venkata Ramana has asked the officials to procure adequate stocks from Maharashtra to ease the situation. He has warned the traders of stringent action if they resort to hoarding.
With the floods in Maharashtra damaging the crop, the supply of onions has declined. Wholesale traders procure the stocks from Maharashtra, while rythu bazars procure the same from them for retail customers. “About 40 tonnes of onions are being sold at 13 rythu bazars in the city daily. The government has decided to procure additional stocks from Maharashtra. The prices are expected to come down in the next few days. The price is higher due to the huge gap in demand and supply,” Regional Joint Director of Marketing K. Srinivasa Rao told The Hindu . “We are selling 200 sacks on onions daily,” Estate Officer of Seethammadhara Rythu Bazar Varahalu said, adding that some stalls were selling onions of poor quality as the stock was drenched in rain.
Stock seized
Meanwhile, vigilance officials raided a stock point in MVP Colony and seized 5 tonnes of onions stocked illegally. It is learnt that 80 bags were found. Vigilance DSP Annepu Narasimha Murthy conducted the raid.
