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In the past few weeks, onion prices have soared across India. With this stockists and traders seem to be making a killing to the staple kitchen item. Cost of onions in Delhi markets is around Rs 80 per kg, while even prices of pulses have reasonably climbed up. As the supply remain deficient, fears all around are if the cost of one kg onion will touch or even cross Rs 100.

According to data, on Friday around 1,300 tonnes of onions arrived Delhi. This is more than 50% of total arrival in all mandis in Maharashtra. When the wholesale price of onions a year back was half of the current price, nearly 900 tonnes of arrived in arrival at Delhi's mandis.

Observers estimated that traders want to maximize profits before the government imports onions in huge quantity, because of which there is unprecedented increase in prices that is artificial.

According to the consumer affairs department, so far only three Indian states Telangana, Odisha and West Bengal have notified traders about stock limits at any point of time to store onions. But, the traders in major onion producing states are stocking onions as there is no restriction on storage.

A government official said, "The price has gone up substantially after there was news that the first effort to import 5,000 tonnes of onion did not happen. So, traders are holding up their stocks for prices to spike further.”

Fresh produce will reach mandis in September last week from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan, and till then the critical phase is likely to continue.

-Sumana