The first ‘Kanda Express’, carrying 453.65 tonnes of onions from Nashik, reached Delhi on Friday as the Centre stepped up supplies to check a sharp rise in retail prices in the national capital.
The dedicated 21-wagon rake is part of the government’s effort to move buffer stock to major consumption centres. The onions will be sold at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg in Delhi-NCR, with part of the stock also being sent to Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Jammu.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said the release of buffer stock is expected to bring down retail onion prices in Delhi within a week. The Centre currently holds around 1.21 lakh tonnes of onions under the Price Stabilisation Fund.
Retail onion prices in Delhi rose 88 per cent year-on-year to Rs 62 per kg on Thursday, compared with Rs 33 per kg a year earlier. The all-India average retail price stood at Rs 46.58 per kg.
Khare said onion availability remains comfortable, with production estimated at 307.37 lakh tonnes in 2025-26, broadly in line with the previous year’s output.
The Kanda Express initiative, launched in 2024-25, has expanded from 14 rakes carrying nearly 12,000 tonnes of onions to 86 rakes transporting around 88,000 tonnes to 16 cities in 2025-26.
(With inputs from PTI)
