KURNOOL: The prices of onions reached a new height in Kurnool agriculture market yard. In a span of one week, the price per quintal has increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,389 recently in the market. With the increase in prices across the erstwhile Kurnool district, the consumers are severely impacted as onions are being sold at Rs 50 kg in Rythu Bazaars, more than a Rs 10 from a week ago. Meanwhile in retail markets, onions are priced around Rs 70 a kg.
The increase in prices has been attributed to the decreased area of onion cultivation in the region as well the erratic rainfall earlier in the season. “Due to continuous and untimely rains, the onion crop has taken a hit in the district, impacting the yield. Decrease in area under onion cultivation has led to shortage of produce, fueling the prices,” said Kurnool agricultural market yard secretary R Vijaya Lakhsmi.
The price per quintal recently touched Rs 4,389, the highest in the season, whereas the modal price stands at Rs 3,600, informed the market secretary.
On September 25, as many as 8,000 bags of onions arrived at the Kurnool market from various parts of the erstwhile district. The traders in the region are expecting further increases to the prices. The price may even reach Rs 8,000 per quintal in the next month, Vijaya Lakhsmi opined. As per the district officials, nearly 5,000 hectares of onion crop was damaged against the total of about 28,000 hectares cultivated across the district.
A trader in Kurnool market yard mentioned that only 10 to 20 trucks of onions were arriving at the market where at least 70 trucks used to come before.
Kurnool market yard is the biggest onion supplier in the State. It exports onions to the districts across the State and also to bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The supply from Kurnool market regulates the price hike across the district. However, with a significant shortage in supply, the prices are likely to increase more.