Bhopal: As onion prices soared to touch the Rs 100-mark in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal district administration set up four kiosks to sell the onion at a subsidised rate of Rs 50 per kilogram from Thursday.
A person can buy only two kg onion at these kiosks, which will operate from 10 am to 5 pm at Bairagarh vegetable market, Bittan market, BHEL and Sarvadharm Colony. A similar initiative was undertaken in Jabalpur recently.
In a bid to control the onion prices, the state government last month issued the 'Madhya Pradesh Onion Traders (Stock Limit and Restrictions on Hoarding) Order 2019'.
According to the order, onion wholesalers and commission agents can stock up to 500 quintal of onion. The retail traders can keep a maximum of 100 quintal of the onion stock, said the order which would be effective till November-end.
Contrary to last few years when there was excess production in the state and onion prices had crashed, this year the prices of this staple commodity skyrocketed after heavy rains destroyed the crops leading to a shortage in supplies. As a result, the prices of onion had risen to Rs 100 per kg at retail outlets in Bhopal.
The soaring prices have failed to cool down despite various government measures, including sale of central buffer stock in various states.
However, fresh stock of onions have hit the markets and the new crop is selling at Rs 60 per kg in retail market. However, the new produce can't be stocked due to moisture and the consumers continue to prefer buying the old crop.
To add, the shortage in supply of onions has been compounded with the fact that the crop has been destroyed in neighbouring Maharashtra, a prominent supplier of this commodity to Madhya Pradesh.
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