New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS): NAFED said here on Wednesday that the Delhi government, which is selling onions at Rs.40 per kg, did not buy the vegetable when it was offered to it at cheaper prices (Rs.19-Rs.25) four months ago.

"In April this year, NAFED told the Delhi government that they could buy onion from us between Rs.19 and Rs.25 per kg. But there was no response," National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) director Bijender Singh told IANS.

"We again sent letters to them in June and July regarding it. But even then they did not reply. It is shocking. Why would they do that?" Singh asked.

NAFED, a cooperative body, undertakes purchase, sale and supply of agricultural products.

Taking note of increasing onion prices, the Delhi government on Tuesday decided to sell onions at Rs.40 per kg at its fair price shops.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government stated that NAFED is "misleading" people on the issue.

The government said NAFED's statement was being issued by a political nominee on its board of directors.

The city government clarified that NAFED had asked for an advance payment for procuring onions.

The Delhi Government also said NAFED itself clarified that on the instructions from the Centre it would supply onions procured under Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to eight major cities in the country, which did not include Delhi.