BHUBANESWAR: With onion prices going through the roof, the State Government on Wednesday asked the district Collectors to take steps to sell the commodity through fair price shops and keep an eye on unscrupulous traders resorting to hoarding.
The Government’s directive came following reports that traders resorted to hoarding and selling onions at an exorbitant price with a motive to earn high profits. A communication from Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department to all collectors read, “Take necessary steps to make onion available to bona fide consumers on a no-profit-no-loss basis through government fair price shops and Maitree outlets till the situation normalises.”
Prices of onion is showing an upward trend and selling at Rs 4,800 to Rs 6,200 per quintal at wholesale market while it varies from Rs 52 to Rs 70 per kg in the retail markets of the State, the letter said.“Taking advantage of the situation, traders may resort to high profiteering and sell the essential commodity at an exorbitant price by hoarding and creating artificial scarcity in the market,” the letter said.
After discussion with traders, it has come to the notice of the Government that heavy rainfall during October and November caused extensive damage to standing Kharif crop in major bulb producing states. The crisis in the market has been further accentuated due to less arrival of an early variety of onions from south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for the same reason, the department said.
While extensive crop damage has been reported from Maharashtra, one of the major onion producing state of the country, harvesting of new crop in the western State has been delayed due to prolonged rains.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said stringent action will be initiated against hoarders and black marketers. District Collectors have been directed to conduct raids on unscrupulous traders and initiate strict action.
General secretary of Kuberpuri Merchant Association Shakti Shankar Mishra said onion price at sources markets remains high at Rs 5,000 per quintal. The high price will continue till the arrival of new crop to the market. Supply of onion to Odisha has so far remained normal despite widespread damage to the crop in producing states, he added.
On rising prices of potato which is now selling at Rs 22-a-kg in retail markets of the city, Mishra said wholesale price of the tuber is Rs 1,650 per quintal. The ideal retail price should be Rs 20-a-kg.