Onion prices hit Rs 60-70 per kg in Hyderabad as arrivals fall

Onion prices have risen sharply across Hyderabad amid a supply shortage linked to poor monsoon rainfall and declining production in key sourcing regions. Prices range from Rs 45 to Rs 70 per kg, prompting consumers to seek government intervention

Hyderabad: Over the past month, onion prices have gradually skyrocketed, bringing tears to the eyes of homemakers in the city.

Across the 11 Rythu Bazars in Hyderabad, onions were being sold for Rs 45 to Rs 50 per kg as of Saturday, while street vendors were charging Rs 60 per kg. On quick-commerce platforms, prices were even higher, with a kg of onions costing Rs 60 to Rs 70.

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The Malakpet market yard, Hyderabad’s primary wholesale onion hub, receives an average of 6,800 tonnes daily to meet the city’s needs. However, current arrivals at the market are 1,200 tonnes short of the daily requirement.

Scanty rainfall this monsoon is seen as a major factor behind the onion shortage and the subsequent price rise, a senior Agricultural Marketing Committee official told ‘Telangana Today’. The city markets receive onions mainly from Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of Kurnool.

The official said a disappointing monsoon so far had made the shortage inevitable and that production in Kurnool had declined severely. In Maharashtra, erratic rainfall has also significantly affected onion production. “Only a part of the usual consignments are being received in the city markets,” the official said.

Street vendors are taking advantage of the onion shortage by selling onions from pushcarts for Rs 60 per kg and above. While superior-quality onions are charged more, even lower-quality grades are being sold at Rs 50 per kg.

Consumers have expressed concern over steep onion prices, saying they are already bearing the burden of higher LPG prices. They urged the state government to intervene and sell onions at subsidised rates.