Onion traders in the Capital have called off their strike after talks with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
"We will see how we can address traders' concerns. Onion Prices should come down in two, three days," said the Delhi Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister had called an emergency meeting after the traders in Azadpur Mandi began a strike today against raids to check hoarding. The state government had threatened to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against them.
The traders at Azadpur, Asia's biggest vegetable and fruit market, were protesting against Income Tax raids being carried out throughout the country to check hoarding.
Onion prices continue to be in the range of Rs 55-60 per kg in retail markets. The government has also asked agri cooperative NAFED to open more outlets to sell onion at a cheaper rate of Rs. 35 a kg in Delhi and the NCR.
Union Agriculture Secretary PK Basu had earlier said that the Centre was in touch with the state (Delhi) government to address traders' concerns so that supply of onion was not affected.
The strike call by traders in Azadpur Mandi follows a similar move in Nashik, Maharashtra, where the crisis was averted on Monday following intervention by the local authorities.
The traders are demanding immediate stop to income tax raids and surveys while denying any hoarding in the market.
"We are not responsible for shortages because of which prices are going up. We are neither hoarding nor profiteering," General Secretary of the Tomato and Onion Merchants' Association in Azadpur mandi, Rajendra Sharma, said.
(With PTI Inputs)