The Hindu : Front Page : First consignment of onions arrives

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2005

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Front Page

First consignment of onions arrives

Gargi Parsai

Wholesale price dips slightly; efforts on to increase availability for festival season

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NEW DELHI: Even as the first consignment of onions arrived from Pakistan here on Tuesday, Cabinet Secretary B.K. Chaturvedi reviewed the situation with senior officials of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Food and Agriculture. He was informed that there had been a slight decline in the wholesale price of the commodity in Delhi's wholesale Azadpur market. From Rs. 11.85 a kg, the price on Tuesday dipped to Rs. 11.15 a kg.

Sources said about 150 quintals of onions arrived from Pakistan at $255 a quintal on Tuesday. This consignment — meant for Mumbai markets — is priced at Rs. 16.50 a kg in the wholesale. The other larger consignment of 500 quintals will arrive by Samjhauta Express from Pakistan towards the weekend.

The National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) was trying to negotiate with China to advance the date of delivery of onions by a week. "Delivery in two weeks will be too late for us in view of the festival season and the late kharif crop that will be available by mid-November," sources said. Government efforts are on to ensure that onions are available in plenty during the festival season of Diwali and Id.

Arrivals from Rajasthan were enhanced from 8,800 quintals to 9,400 quintals on Tuesday. Besides, NAFED will contract 100 tonnes from Rajasthan and another 100 tonnes from Indore in Madhya Pradesh from Wednesday. It will open four outlets in the capital — at its office at Ashram, Krishi Bhavan, Lawrence Road and at the National Council of Educational Research and Training Complex on Aurobindo Marg. NAFED will tie up with Kendriya Bhandar and Mother Dairy outlets for selling onions procured by it at around Rs. 16 a kg.

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