VIJAYAWADA: Following instructions from Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, marketing officials set up special counters for onions at all rythu bazars on Friday. At these stalls, each person is liable to get only one kg of the vegetable per day at the subsidised cost of Rs 25. However, the timings for the sales have been limited to just four hours a day, from 8 am to 10 am and again from 4 pm to 6 pm.
In view of the steep rise in onion prices and non-availability of the produce, the Chief Minister had asked the authorities concerned to set up stalls in the farmers’ markets across the State. Krishna district officials have procured around 100 quintals of Kurnool onions. Patamata Rythu Bazar estate officer V Koteswara Rao said, “The cost of onions on Friday at the Patamata rythu bazar is Rs 40. We have procured 30 bags, each weighing 45 kg, from Kurnool district. Today (on Friday), as many as 15 bags were sold.
The remaining bags will be put on sale tomorrow. "According to the instructions, we are selling onions at subsidised price at just one counter from 8am to 10 am and again at 4 pm to 6 pm," B Anjaiah, a resident of Vijayawada, said.
“Though the onions at rythu bazars have half the price than those available at retail markets, their stock is very limited and we are unable to get even a small quantity of vegetable. It is a good thing that the officials are providing onions at a subsidised price. We take autos and come from very far to the rythu bazar. So, the scheme of only one kg per person does not make much of a difference. They should increase the limit to at least two kg per person,” he added.
Meanwhile, the vigilance teams have been instructed to locate stock holding points and black markets and further take action against those found guilty.At present, the Maharashtra variety is unavailable in the market and retailers are selling onions at Rs 75-85 per kg. Vijayawada alone has a daily requirement of 170 quintals. Usually, Krishna district receives 250-300 quintals a day.