<p>New Delhi: As all-India average retail onion price shoots up by 57 per cent to Rs 47 per kg, the Centre on Friday decided to step up the sale of buffer onion at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg in retail markets in order to provide relief to consumers.</p>.<p> The all-India average retail price of onion rose to Rs 47 per kg on Friday, from Rs 30 per kg in the year-ago period, as per the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry.</p>.<p> In the national capital, retail price of onion was at Rs 40/kg on Friday as against Rs 30/kg in the year-ago period, the data showed.</p>.<p>"We have been offloading buffer onions since mid-August and we are stepping up the retail sale in order to check further rise in prices and provide relief to the consumers," Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told <em>PTI</em>.</p>.Onion prices surge by 60% in two weeks.<p> According to the ministry, onion is being offloaded from the buffer stock in both wholesale and retail markets in states where there is a sharp rise in prices. Since mid-August, about 1.7 lakh tonne of buffer onion has been offloaded in 22 states at different locations.</p>.<p> In retail markets, buffer onion is being offloaded through two cooperative bodies NCCF and NAFED outlets and vehicles at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg. In Delhi too, buffer onion is being sold at this subsidised rate.</p>.<p> A senior ministry official said the delay in kharif onion sowing due to weather reasons has resulted in less coverage and late arrival of the crop.</p>.<p> The fresh kharif onion should have started arriving by now but it has not. With stored rabi onion getting exhausted and delay in arrival of kharif onion, there is a tight supply situation, resulting in price increase in both wholesale and retail markets, the official added.</p>.<p> He also mentioned that the government has doubled the buffer onion stock for the current year and this should improve domestic availability and check prices in the coming days.</p>.<p> For 2023-24 fiscal year, the consumer affairs ministry through NCCF and NAFED has maintained a buffer onion stock of 5 lakh tonne and plans to procure additional 2 lakh tonne onion in the coming days.</p>
<p>New Delhi: As all-India average retail onion price shoots up by 57 per cent to Rs 47 per kg, the Centre on Friday decided to step up the sale of buffer onion at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg in retail markets in order to provide relief to consumers.</p>.<p> The all-India average retail price of onion rose to Rs 47 per kg on Friday, from Rs 30 per kg in the year-ago period, as per the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry.</p>.<p> In the national capital, retail price of onion was at Rs 40/kg on Friday as against Rs 30/kg in the year-ago period, the data showed.</p>.<p>"We have been offloading buffer onions since mid-August and we are stepping up the retail sale in order to check further rise in prices and provide relief to the consumers," Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told <em>PTI</em>.</p>.Onion prices surge by 60% in two weeks.<p> According to the ministry, onion is being offloaded from the buffer stock in both wholesale and retail markets in states where there is a sharp rise in prices. Since mid-August, about 1.7 lakh tonne of buffer onion has been offloaded in 22 states at different locations.</p>.<p> In retail markets, buffer onion is being offloaded through two cooperative bodies NCCF and NAFED outlets and vehicles at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg. In Delhi too, buffer onion is being sold at this subsidised rate.</p>.<p> A senior ministry official said the delay in kharif onion sowing due to weather reasons has resulted in less coverage and late arrival of the crop.</p>.<p> The fresh kharif onion should have started arriving by now but it has not. With stored rabi onion getting exhausted and delay in arrival of kharif onion, there is a tight supply situation, resulting in price increase in both wholesale and retail markets, the official added.</p>.<p> He also mentioned that the government has doubled the buffer onion stock for the current year and this should improve domestic availability and check prices in the coming days.</p>.<p> For 2023-24 fiscal year, the consumer affairs ministry through NCCF and NAFED has maintained a buffer onion stock of 5 lakh tonne and plans to procure additional 2 lakh tonne onion in the coming days.</p>