CHENNAI: As the prices of Indian onions breached Rs 100 a kg, there were more takers for the ones from Egypt. Almost 80 per cent of the 27 tonnes of Egyptian onions which arrived yesterday were sold out, said a trader.
“There had been a huge demand for Egyptian onions due to the price surge. The onions were priced at Rs 60 per kg in the wholesale market while the retail market was selling it for Rs 70 to Rs 75 per kg,” added the trader.
However, the traders refused to comment on when the next consignment will arrive. Indian onions will continue to be costlier over the next two to three months as the producing states are battling rains and pest menace.
As many as 90 per cent of crops in neighbouring Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra have been destroyed due to unseasonal rains. This has left Chennai in a lurch as the city consumes a large quantity of onions per day.
Meanwhile, traders held a meeting with officials on reopening Koyambedu wholesale market entirely. It is learnt that a decision on this will be taken by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.