KURNOOL: While the surge in onion prices is proving heavy on consumers’ pockets, it has left farmers a happy lot. Due to rise in its demand, onion is being sold for up to Rs 4,150 a quintal in Kurnool wholesale market.
Onion farmers, who were facing problems in getting remunerative prices, are cashing in on the opportunity by bringing their produce to the markets even as the crop needs 15-20 days more to grow to its full size.
An average of 15,000 quintals have been reaching the Kurnool market since the last few days.
“A quintal of onion is being sold at Rs 4,150. This is the highest in the last three years,’’ B Gokari, a farmer from Orvakal mandal, said. The previous year, the crop was available for Rs 300-Rs 600 per quintal.
The reason behind the high prices is floods in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Orissa. Due to non-availability of onions at the above said states, merchants there were dependent on the Kurnool market. As many as 60 percent of daily arrivals in Kurnool were sent to other states, agriculture market yard secretary R Vijaya Lakshmi said.
“If we get 15,000 quintals of onion, 9,000 quintals are sent to other States. Kurnool onions are also exported to Nepal now.”
Spiralling onion prices
In the first week of August, one kg of onions was available at Rs 18-Rs 22. The price has since risen to Rs 40 per kg at rythu bazars