Bumper harvest brings onion prices to new low

Nashik markets are flooded with onions causing a glut and a price drop. The low prices are likely to continue for a month, sources predicted.

Lal onion was traded at minimum Rs 7 per kg, maximum at Rs 12.52 per kg and average of Rs 10 per kg while unhal onion was being traded at minimum Rs 7 per kg, maximum at Rs 10.02 per kg and average of Rs 9 per kg in Lasalgaon APMC on Wednesday.

On Friday (23 Feb) lal onion was traded at minimum Rs 10 per kg, maximum at Rs 16.90 per kg and average of Rs 14.70 per kg while unhal onion was traded at minimum Rs 9.10 per kg, maximum at Rs 16.41 per kg and average of Rs 14 per kg in Lasalgaon APMC.

Chandwad APMC chairman Dr Atmaram Kumbharde said on Wednesday that there was a bumper harvest and now the supply is high.

“During the onion shortage about 3 months back, the then pol variety of onion fetched premium prices. Due to this shortage, more onion was planted, causing a surfeit. The monsoon too was late and it benefitted the onion crop, resulting in an excellent yield,” he said.

Dr Kumbharde, however, predicted that the onion prices would continue to hover between Rs 8 to Rs 15 per kg in APMCs for at least a month.

Speaking about the present harvests of unhal onion, Dr Kumbharde said that the area under cultivation was more than last year and the crop yield too would be high. Unhal harvests will continue till April.