BHUBANESWAR: Even as the state government has gone for market intervention by selling onion through fair price shops in a limited way, there is no sign of the price cooling down in the retail market.
Onion price in retail markets across the state remained as high as Rs 70 per kg even as the wholesale price of the commodity is in the range of Rs 4,700 to Rs 5,000 per quintal (Rs 47 to Rs 50 a kg). However, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department claims to be selling onion through Maitree shops (fair price outlets) at ‘no profit no loss’ in almost all the districts.
A department report said onion is being sold at Rs 42-a-kg in Berhampur, Rs 43 in Rayagada, Rs 44 in Cuttack, Rs 48 at Dhenkanal and Bhadrak, Rs 50 at Nuapada, Khurda and Baripada, Rs 52-a-kg at Balasore, Keonjhar and Jeypore, Rs 55-a-kg at Angul, Balangir and Bhawanipatna and Rs 58-a-kg at Jharsuguda.
Since the fair price shops selling onion at cost are few and far between, not many are benefited from the market intervention scheme of the government. In view of the soaring prices of onion, the state government on Wednesday asked district Collectors to take steps to sell the commodity through fair price shops and keep an eye on unscrupulous traders resorting to hoarding.
Anticipating that cyclone Bulbul will bring good fortune for them, traders of the coastal districts jacked up the prices of all vegetables, including potato and onion, and many of them have huge stocks of the two essential commodities. Potato which was being sold at Rs 25 a kg in the retail market on Friday has come down to Rs 22-a-kg on Saturday.
General secretary of Kuberpuri Merchant Association Shakti Shankar Mishra said onion price at source markets remains high and this will continue till the arrival of new crop to the market. supply of onion and potato to Odisha has so far remained normal despite the inclement weather. The state doesn’t produce sufficient onion. It mostly procures from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and some other states to meet its requirement.
Onion-a-kg
Wholesale price of onion in the range of Rs 4,700 to Rs 5,000 per quintal
Rs 42 Berhampur
Rs 43 Rayagada
Rs 44 Cuttack
Rs 48 Dhenkanal and Bhadrak
Rs 50 Nuapada, Khurda and Baripada
Rs 52 at Balasore, Keonjhar and Jeypore
Rs 55 at Angul, Balangir and Bhawanipatna
Rs 58 at Jharsuguda