Tears are rolling down people’s cheeks not because they are peeling onions but because they are shocked at the sky-rocketing prices of the bulb. Flawed policies and faltering farm practices cause a shortage in the market every alternate year. Hoarding adds to people’s woes. Knee-jerk reactions like importing or banning exports will not address the problem holistically. Tomatoes and potatoes, too, share the same fate every alternate year. In Tamil, insignificant things are referred to as “onions”. Tamilians may have to change the usage and respect onions as gold.
Sivamani Vasudevan,
Chennai
The supply of onions from the suburbs has declined, which is one of the reasons the prices have shot up. Hoarding of vegetables and the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices are also the cause for price hike. Moreover, vegetables rot during monsoon. The common man is wondering how to deal with the sudden rise in the prices of onion. The Congress-led UPA government has proved ineffective on all fronts as it is busy addressing scams involving its Ministers.
Jayanthy S. Maniam,
Mumbai
I am unable to understand the media fuss over onion prices. Onion is not an essential commodity like rice and wheat. Some communities do not eat onions at all. If people stop buying onions for a while, hoarders will release the commodity. Everything needs people’s cooperation. The media should stop sensationalising the issue.
Kanagasabai,
Puducherry
