the goan I network
BELAGAVI
Onion prices have been surging since the last month and have shown no sign of receding, with record high rates being witnessed at the Belagavi wholesale market on Wednesday.
The wholesale rates soared as high as Rs 170 a kilo in the Belgavi retail market and Rs 150 a kilo in the Belagavi APMC Market, the major supplier of onions to Goa.
And with only 23 vehicles arriving at the APMC market in Belagavi on Tuesday, very few vehicles were sent to Goa and households across Goa can be expected to feel the scarcity in the coming days.
Huge decline in the supplies from Maharashtra, in turn, has adversely affected the supplies to Goa due to which the onion prices are soar further inflating the kitchen budget.
The wholesale onion rates on Wednesday were hovering between Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per quintal depending upon the quality and size of the onion.
“This is the highest ever rate that we have paid for the onion in the history of APMC. Normally, about 300 trucks arrive from Maharashtra from second week of November every year. However, the prolonged monsoon that caused havoc in Nasik and Pune districts has taken its toll on the onion, adversely affecting the supplies,” former president of the Onion Wholesalers Association M B Mungari told The Goan.
Mungari also urged consumers to check the quality and size of onions before making purchases, as small size and poor quality onions might be sold at higher rates.
On the other hand, traders said they are facing tough time and dilemma while transporting onions to their respective retailers, as even 10% of damages during transit and transportation has led to heavy losses.
