Weather causes increase in onion price

The price of onion is reported to have increased by around Rs. 500 per quintal over the past two weeks due to the delay in the arrival of kharif onions caused by unexpected rains.

Moreover, the export demand for onion has gone down as the Indian onion is higher in price compared to the prices of onions from other countries like China, Iran, Turkey and Egypt. Suvarna Jagtap, chairperson of Lasalgaon APMC yard said, “After Diwali, the price of quality onion has gone up by Rs. 1,000 per quintal as the heavy rain is estimated to have affected around 40 per cent of the kharif red onion crop.” Red onions usually come to the market soon after Diwali, but this year they have not yet come to the market.

However, the onion is expected to arrive at the markets late by two months. The total loss has forced political and agricultural leaders to seek ‘wet drought’ relief.