Bengaluru: Onion prices touched Rs 80 per kg in the city’s retail markets on Wednesday. With heavy rain destroying the onion crops in parts of North Karnataka, the rate is expected to go even higher. Vegetable vendors said that the reduced supplies of the vegetable to the market has led to the spurt in prices. Hopcoms shops were selling onions for Rs 65 per kg.
“Till Monday, we were receiving onion supplies from North Karnataka and Maharastra. But following the strike in parts of Dharwad, Haveri and Hubballi, the supply volume has come down. Because of the rain, we did not receive supplies from Maharastra too. The prices are expected to go up further," said Mr Prashanth Pai, a wholesale vegetable vendor.
“Drought is one of the main reasons for the runaway prices. In the state, Chitradurga, Davanagere and parts of North Karnataka are the major suppliers of onion. But this year because of drought-like condition, more than half of the crop has been destroyed. A few farmers have not harvested their crop, and are waiting for the prices to go up further. None of the city’s major markets, including KR Market, received big volumes of onion,” he said.
Hopcoms officials said that in the last five years, for the second time, onion growers are getting a bumper price. “In 2013 too, there was a dip in the volume. In 2010, 11 and 12, rate of onion was under control in September. Last year it was moderate, but this year, the prices have shot up,” said an officer from horticulture department.
HOPCOMS rate list (Onion Rate)
- Sept.9. 2010: Rs 12
- Sept.9. 2011: Rs 12
- Sept.9. 2012: Rs 16
- Sept.9. 2013: Rs 68
- Sept 9. 2014: Rs 35
- Sept.9. 2015: Rs 65
