Hyderabad: Onions being supplied by the state government at subsidised rates are vanishing from Rythu Bazaars and special counters in the city within a couple of hours as prices have crossed Rs 40 per kg in the retail market.
The Telangana government has been selling subsidised onions for Rs 25 per kg since June 24 after prices started increasing due to short supplies from neighbouring states.
Supplies from neighbouring Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to Telangana came down by half, resulting in huge shortage of onion stocks and sharp escalation of prices.
Traders expect onion prices to soar to Rs 75 to Rs 100 per kg in the coming months as production has fallen drastically in the country this year due to drought and adverse weather conditions.
Subsidised onions are being provided at nine Rythu Bazaars in the city, at Erragadda, Kukatpally, Mehdipatnam, Saroornagar, Vanasthalipuram, Falaknuma, Alwal, RK Puram and Meerpet.
The marketing department has set up special counters in 36 locations near different colonies to sell subsidised onions.
The sales in Rythu Bazaars and other special counters start at 11 am. However, the stocks are exhausted in two hours.
Marketing minister T. Harish Rao held a meeting with officials on Saturday and asked them to visit Maharashtra and other states to procure stocks.
“We have sent officials to Nasik to negotiate with onion dealers and procure stocks at cheaper rates. They have agreed to sell for Rs 29 per kg. The government is trying to supply onions for Rs 29 per kg in Rythu Bazaars even if prices increase in coming months,” Mr Rao said.
