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In what some may see as a silver lining, onions have been named the culprit for declining liquor consumption in India. To lay the blame for this at the bulb’s door would not, however, be fair, as there are other factors in play there. Nevertheless, onion prices continue to be the butt of jokes across India, in conversations, on social media and in stand-up comic routines.
The good news is that onion prices are beginning to ease. The commodity was cheapest in Jhansi, according to government data, with the price falling to ₹40 on Tuesday from ₹45 on Monday. In Wayanad, the price dropped to ₹140 a kilo from ₹155 on Monday. In Gwalior and Sagar, the rate dipped by ₹5 a kilo on Tuesday.
Wholesale prices, too, have started softening on improving supplies from States such as Maharashtra and Gujarat. Traders say weak demand due to high prices and imports have also contributed to the softening trend. At Lasalgaon, the largest market, the maximum wholesale price moderated to ₹6,900 a quintal on Tuesday from ₹10,000 a week ago.
As with the retail prices, wholesale prices were the highest in Kerala. At Thiruvananthapuram, the price was ₹14,898 a quintal on an average. In Thrissur, it was ₹14,500 a quintal. The wholesale price was again lowest in Jhansi, where it was ₹3,500 a quintal on an average. Jaipur and Gwalior were the other cities where wholesale prices were relatively lower at ₹4,000 a quintal.
Zone-wise retail price data
In the north, onions were the most expensive in Gurgaon, at ₹120 a kilo, whereas the commodity was the most affordable in Jhansi, at ₹40 a kilo.
In the west, while Goan capital Panaji saw onions sold at ₹165, the highest rate in the country, cities such as Ambikapur, Sagar and Gwalior sold it at ₹50 a kilo.
In the East, the price was the highest in Kolkata, at ₹140 a kilo, whereas in Gaya, it was as low as ₹69,
In the North-East, while cities such as Itanagar and Agartala sold the bulb at ₹120 a kilo, it was only ₹94 in Guwahati.
In the South, prices were the highest in Kozhikode, Mayabunder and Thiruvananthapuram, at ₹160 a kilo, whereas in Kurnool, the price was a comparatively lower ₹72.
Meanwhile, here are some of the tweets about onions that are doing the rounds...
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