Skyrocketing onion prices hit kitchen budgets in Mysuru

Per kg rate jumps from Rs. 40 to Rs. 90; may breach Rs. 100 mark by Deepavali

Mysore/Mysuru: The surge in tomato prices recently led people to prepare tomato-bath without tomatoes and now, the escalating cost of onions, a kitchen staple, has left the economically challenged and middle-class residents of Mysuru in tears, burdening households.

A mere week ago, onions were priced at Rs. 40-45 per kg, but now they are commanding Rs. 85 to Rs. 90 per kg. As Deepavali approaches, the prices are expected to cross the Rs. 100 per kg mark.

Just a fortnight ago, onions were available for Rs. 30-35 per kg. However, after Dasara, prices in Mysuru markets suddenly surged, reaching Rs. 50 per kg last week. Presently, this pink vegetable is being sold for Rs. 90 to Rs. 95 per kg at several locations in Mysuru, with vendors in posh residential areas even demanding Rs. 100 per kg for bigger and round onions.

The steep rise in onion prices is linked to the impact of the monsoon’s failure in the State, leading to a substantial reduction in onion supply to Mysuru APMC. A trader at APMC, Mysuru, explained, “The decrease in supply is responsible for the escalating onion prices.”

However, the quality of onions available now in the market has improved manifold when compared with that of those arriving in the previous month. The onions that are coming now are of very good quality. For over a month now, the only available onions were old onions, with their skin peeled out and most of them had also sprouted already, traders said.

Despite the Indian Government’s ban on onion exports, prices continue to rise steadily in Maharashtra, the country’s largest onion-producing State. Many parts of Karnataka, including Mysuru APMC, rely on onion supplies from Nasik in Maharashtra. Unfortunately, this export ban has not alleviated the price increases, with onion prices continuing to climb daily.

For onion prices to drop, a fresh crop must enter the market. However, the monsoon’s failure in onion-growing regions of the State, including Hubballi-Dharwad, Chikkamagalur, Kadur and Chitradurga, may disrupt onion supply from  these areas.