Bhubaneswar, November 13: The Odisha government has reached out to the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) to supply onions at a subsidized rate of ₹30 per kg as retail prices soar to ₹70 per kg in local markets.
Krushna Chandra Patra, Odisha’s Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister, attributed the price hike to supply issues in Nasik, Maharashtra, where the state procures much of its onion stock.
The base price of onions in Nasik is reported at ₹45 per kg, and limited local production means Odisha is reliant on supplies from other states like Maharashtra and Telangana, where high onion and garlic prices are compounding the issue.
According to traders, recent heavy rains in Maharashtra and Telangana have impacted the Kharif crop, affecting both the quality and supply of onions. Prices for premium onions from Nasik have surged to ₹60 per kg, while medium-quality onions from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, range from ₹40-₹55 per kg.
The minister has requested NAFED to distribute onions in Odisha at a discounted rate to alleviate the burden on consumers. Garlic prices have also surged, now reaching ₹450 per kg.
Sudhakar Panda, General Secretary of the Odisha Byabsayee Mahasangha, stated that new supplies might ease prices over the next fewdays.
