Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Aug 18:  As tomato price has gradually declined, consumers are now gearing up to pay higher price to buy onions. The supply of onions from Maharashtra, the state which grows the highest quantity of the vegetable in the country has come down since the last two weeks. The price of onions has hence gone on an upward spiral.

The price of onions in the biggest wholesale market of the vegetable in APMC of Lasalgaon of Nasik has jumped to Rs 2300 a quintal from Rs 1550 a quintal on August 4. This is the highest price that has been recorded in the last eight months.

In Mangaluru as well the price of onions has risen steadily during the last two weeks. Last week, it hovered at around Rs 2000 a quintal and now it has crossed Rs 2900. At present, onions are sold for Rs 34 to 35 a kilo up from last week's Rs 26 a kilo.

As the farmers of Lasalgaon Nasik are busy in agricultural activities, the supply of onions has come down in the market. This has caused a price rise of the vegetable. Earlier, the Nasik market used to get 25,000 to 30,000 quintals of onion. Now the supply has down to just 10,000 quintals.

The demand for onions in the local market is more compared to supply that is made available. Due to rainfall, harvest of onions has been delayed by a month in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The supply is less in Ahmed Nagar of Maharashtra as well. There is also more demand for onions from Bangladesh resulting in prices of onion going up.