A worker sorts onions at a wholesale vegetable market in Chandigarh. (Reuters)
With onion prices shooting to alarming levels across the country, nearly 700 kilograms of the vegetable have been stolen from a market in Mumbai.
The onions were stolen from a wholesale trader's shop from the Sion area of the city. The stolen stock was estimated to be worth Rs 50,000, police said.
"On Saturday morning, when I reached the shop, I found 14 sacks of onions missing," said Anand Naik, the owner of the shop.
A First Information Report has been registered at the Wadala Truck Terminal police station.
"We have registered a complaint of onion theft. This is a very surprising case," said senior inspector Suhas Garud.
Onions are currently selling at an average of Rs 80 per kilogram in most parts of the country.
Wholesale onion prices on Saturday touched Rs 57 per kilogram at Lasalgaon in Maharashtra, Asia's biggest onion market. In Delhi retail prices shot up to Rs 75-80 per kilogram and in Mumbai to Rs 65 per kilogram.
"The shortfall has primarily been on account of adverse weather conditions, including unseasonal rains which have impacted both the standing and harvested crop at major producing centres," the Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The central government, meanwhile, has decided to import onions to keep a check on the prices.