Mumbai: There has been an impact of continuous increase in onion prices after Diwali. The price of onion which was sold at Rs 80 to 90 per kg has now reached Rs 100. Until the new crop of onion comes in the market, the price of onion will continue to trouble people.
According to traders at the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) market in Navi Mumbai, the onion crop got damaged due to continued rains even after the monsoon. Due to this, the prices of onion have started increasing due to increase in demand in the market against the decreasing income.
This year, the average price of onion in the wholesale onion market has increased from Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg to Rs 35 to Rs 40 per kg. At present, onion is being sold in bulk at Rs 60 per kg. Therefore, depending on the quality, it is being sold at a higher price of Rs 80-90-100 per kg. 80 percent of onion requirement can be met from APMC market.
The kitchen budget of the middle class has been disturbed due to the rising prices of onion. In districts with large population of upper middle class people like Ghatkopar, Andheri, Powai, Malad, Borivali, Santa Cruz and Jejuhu, onion prices were heard around Rs 80 to Rs 100 today.
A farmer from Barshi in Solapur said that we had to sow onions immediately after Navratri. But this was not possible due to unseasonal rains.
APMC Onion-Potato Market Director Ashok Valaj said that onion prices will remain high throughout the month of November. After that, after the arrival of new onions from Nashik, Pune, Solapur and Ahmednagar, the prices will start decreasing.