. Farmers are demanding that the government withdraw the 40% export duty on onions.
The sale of subsidised onions began today through National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India (NCCF) outlets and vans in 10 select locations in the national capital.
The move to sell subsidised onions comes at a time when the market price of onions has started to go up in some key markets in the country.
The NCCF will start selling onions from the government buffer stock at a discounted price of Rs. 25 per kg in the national capital today, in addition to its existing mandate to sell tomatoes at a subsidised rate. On Sunday, NCCF and NAFED started the sale of tomatoes at a discounted price of Rs 40 per kilogram in some cities.
The government has created a buffer stock of 3 lakh metric tonne of onions for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. It has also decided to procure an additional 2 lakh metric tonne of onions to further boost the buffer stock.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has released data showing that the retail price of onions has increased in the following cities over the past 10 days (between August 10 and 20):
- Delhi: Rs.30 to Rs. 37/Kg (+Rs.7/Kg)
- Chennai: Rs. 27/Kg to Rs. 36/Kg (+Rs.9/Kg)
- Bengaluru: Rs. 29/Kg to Rs.39/Kg (+Rs.10/Kg)
- Barnala: Rs. 25/Kg to Rs.40/Kg (+Rs.15/Kg)
- Hoshiarpur: Rs. 23/Kg to Rs.37/Kg (+Rs.14/Kg)
- Shahdol: Rs. 25/Kg to Rs.40/Kg (Rs.15/Kg)
- Kota: Rs. 18/Kg to Rs.28/Kg (+Rs.10/Kg)
- Katihar: Rs. 24/Kg to Rs.34/Kg (+Rs.10/Kg)
In Maharashtra's Nashik, Asia's biggest onion market, Lasalgaon, has been closed today in protest against the central government's decision to impose a 40% export duty on onions. The farmers are angry that the government took this decision without consulting them, and they believe that the duty will only benefit the traders and not the farmers.
The closure of the Lasalgaon onion market is likely to cause a sharp rise in onion prices in the coming days. Farmers are demanding that the government withdraw the 40% export duty on onions and provide them with a fair price for their produce.