Visakhapatnam: Onion prices in the state are expected to continue to rise until November 15, when supply resources could improve, market sources said. The state government is yet to decide on any intervention to keep prices stable, unlike in the case of tomatoes.
“Supply from Karnataka and Maharashtra has stopped, where the crop was damaged due to excess rains, while in Kurnool, supply has reduced due to low output caused by scanty rainfall,” a senior marketing department official said on Sunday.
The price of onions touched Rs 70 per kg in the retail market on Sunday and may go up to Rs 100 per kg or more by the second week of November. Despite high prices, quality remains very poor. The price was? 30 during the first week of October and touched Rs 70 per kg on October 27.
A kilo of Kurnool onion was priced at Rs 60 per kg, and the Maharashtra variety onion cost Rs 70 per kg in the retail markets. Traders are selling low-quality onions at high prices, citing various reasons, and claiming that the price of onions will shoot up further in the coming days, a consumer at MVP Rythu Bazaar said.
The onion price hike comes closely after the tomato price hike, when tomatoes were sold at Rs 150 per kg. The price of ginger is also priced between? 160 and Rs 200 per kg in the open markets. Some consumers said there should be some monitoring of prices during this tough period.
