New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS): The Centre has contracted an additional 12,660 tons of onions for imports which will begin arriving in the country from December 27.

With this additional quantity, the total quantity of imports that have been contracted so far reaches approximately 30,000 tons.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has also directed MMTC to issue fresh tenders for additional 15,000 tons of onions (three new tenders of 5,000 MT each) on Thursday.

Earlier, on December 9, the government had further revised the stock holding limits for retailers from 5 tons to 2 tons. The stock limits were only revised for retailers and it was kept unchanged for wholesalers at 25 tons. Importers continue to remain exempted from these stock limits for imported onions.

The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan had also written a letter to the Chief Ministers of all the states asking them to carry out immediate anti-hoarding operations to ensure the supplies in the markets are augmented and stock holding limits are strictly enforced.