CHENNAI: Aiming to stabilise the spiraling price of the most used ingredient in kitchen, the State government on Wednesday announced that onions would be sold for Rs. 33 per kg at the Cooperative supermarkets.
“We are also taking steps to sell onion in about 200 ration shops in Chennai,” Cooperation Minister Sellur K. Raju said.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the farm fresh vegetable outlet being run through the Cooperative department at Teynampet here, the Minister said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy has expedited measures to curb the rise in prices of onions.
Mr. Sellur Raju attributed the current price rise to heavy rainfall in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, but pointed out that onions are being sold for Rs 45 per kg in Cooperative farm fresh vegetable outlets. He pointed out that during the DMK rule onion was sold for Rs 100 per kg.
In order to ensure the people do not get affected by the prohibitive cost in the market, the State government would procure onions from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh purchasing the commodity at Rs. 30 a kg and would make it available for Rs 33 per kg to the consumers here.
The price of onion has increased to Rs 50 in the city from Rs 35 last week, forcing the people to cough up more than the monthly budgetary allocation for vegetables.
