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Why is Onion Price Increasing in India?

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Onion - Sputnik India, 1920, 01.11.2023
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For the past week, India has seen a steep increase in the price of onion, causing distress among consumers. Sputnik India tried to figure out what was that all about.
A dramatic surge in onion prices have caused distress among consumers.
A Delhi-based shopkeeper, Ambuj Kumar, told Sputnik India that till 23 October, they were selling onions anywhere between INR 30-40 per kilogram, prices started increasing on 25 October, and on Tuesday (31 October), they cost INR 85 per kg, 100 per cent increase in just one week.
Not just in Delhi, but several cities in India are seeing spikes in onion prices.

Why Onion Prices Are Surging in India?

The abrupt surge in onion prices can be attributed to various factors, such as unpredictable weather patterns, an escalating demand, and the arrival of the festival season in the country.
India, this year, has seen extreme weather patterns, including floods and drought, leading to damage to many crops and vegetables. However, onions and potatoes are staple food in India. In July-August, prices of tomatoes increased up to seven times.
Many Hindus have avoided eating onions since mid-August –until Navratri (which ended on 25 October) due to religious issues. Hence, the price of onion was under control. In August, the government also took the decision to impose a 40 percent export duty on onions.
The implementation of this measure comes as a response to reports that highlight India's remarkable achievement of reaching its highest onion export figures in the last three years. Onion are one of the important ingredients in all curry cuisine in South Asia.
Multiple media reports also suggest that delayed kharif onion sowing after adverse weather conditions led to late cultivation, which is the primary cause behind the increase in crop price in the market.

Steps Taken By Govt To Curb Increasing Price

To ensure availability at an affordable price in the market, the Indian federal government is making efforts ahead of the elections in five states and during the ongoing festive season. During the weekend, the federal government imposed an $800 per metric tonne minimum export price.
The Indian government is now selling onions at a subsidized rate of INR 25 per kilogram through the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) in Delhi and other parts.
Despite all these efforts, the consumers are seeing no reduction in the price of oniond.
The BJP's defeat in the 1998 Delhi legislative election was fueled by the critical issue of the skyrocketing price of onions.
BJP's seats fell from what was 49 in 1993 to just 15 in 1998, and Congress won that election with 52 seats.
A man carries a basket on his head filled with tomatoes to be delivered to a nearby market in Kolkata, India, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. - Sputnik India, 1920, 28.06.2023
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