Onion becomes tearfully dearer at Rs.100 a kg

Mysuru: Price of onion, the essential vegetable in Indian household, has hit the roof touching Rs.100 and beyond per kg in city forcing customers to shed tears even before buying and chopping the vegetable. The steep rise in price is attributed by traders to shortfall in supply from North Karnataka and Maharashtra, the prominent source of onion. The deficit is obviously due to the recent rains and floods. Onion was being sold at Rs.120 a kg at a few malls in city yesterday forcing the customers to reduce the quantity of purchase. A few customers were seen vowing to give up onion till the price drops to normal range.

Wholesale rate: The wholesale rate of big size onion is over Rs.7,700 a quintal. Transportation cost and wastage coupled with inclusion of a small profit margin pushes up the price in the retail market to Rs.100 and beyond a kg, according to traders.

Situation to continue: Gadag in Karnataka produces the maximum quantity of onion. Heavy rains in that region in the recent times has completely destroyed the crops. The same destruction has also taken place in Nasik, Maharashtra, hailed as the capital of onion cultivation. Till the new crop begins to give yield, the same high price situation is likely to prevail everywhere, opine the wholesale traders at Bandipalya.

Disturbed kitchen: Onion is almost inevitable for Upma and curry and leaving out the vegetable would definitely hamper the taste and acceptance by members of the family will be very difficult. 

With a heavy heart and regret, onion has begun to vanish from the shelves of kitchen in many homes. Perhaps, a few connoisseurs unable to give up onion so easily, have reduced the consumption to 25% of the regular quantity to beat the price.

Traders also hit: Not just the consumers, the traders too are hit by the price rise. Small traders fear to invest money on the expensive onion as a slight variation in weight while weighing could cumulatively escalate the losses. A few sensible traders have installed boards ‘No onions’ at their shops.

Onion topples Govt.: It can be recalled that about two decades ago, the price of onion sky-rocketed and the Union Govt. was at the receiving end from irate consumers. The fury and resistance of the people resulted in the ruling party losing in the election held then.