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The price is not right

By Rituparna Goswami Pande |
The rising price of onions is bringing real tears in the eyes of the consumers. The onion vendors are pricing them at exorbitant prices forcing the public to opt for an onion free diet. Onions are an inherent part of Indian cuisine hence such a situation greatly distresses the common people.

The price rise is a direct outcome of the delay of trains bringing consignments of onions coming from outside the state.

The All Guwahati Potato Onion Merchants’ Association (AGPOMA) has allegedly approached Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to look into the matter. The late arrival has also led to the damage of thousands of these products further escalating the prices of these perishables.

Vinod jain, Secretary AGPOMA said that the consignment especially from Bangalore have been delayed by a couple of weeks. As a result a short supply has sky rocketed onion prices which were earlier priced at Rs 18 per kg to Rs 25 to 28 per kg in the retail market. If this trend continues for a few more days the prices may further escalate upto Rs 40 per kg.

The usual supply of onions in the state is 1,500 metric tones a week, whereas the next few weeks the supply may dwindle to about 1000 MT.

A proper arrangement by the railway personnel and efforts by the central government may improve the conditions immensely.

The state government on its part is thinking of introducing fair price mobile vans to sell onions at wholesale rates to give some reprieve to the consumers. Guwahati meanwhile is getting a supply of onions from Changsari which has eased the situation a little. Usually Assam and the northeastern states gets its onions from states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Nasik , Patna and certain adjoining areas of Bangalore but heavy rainfall has taken a toll on the farmers in those places which has led to a short fall of onions in our state.

Comments

charlie's picture

Submitted by charlie on Sat, 22/09/2007 - 02:09
normally onions make people to cry when they cut now onions make people to cry for the price , its strange every year onions price came to sky limit which will dificult to common people to buy , but who boathers, as u given good suggestion to look after the railway minister to see the matter it comes the destination on time, and govt also took initiative to sell the onions on govt price as they have food&supply dept. normally it seem on delhi punjab gujrat mumbai and other state by their govt. u mobile van advise is very much practicall and it will help to common people also.
jaay's picture

Submitted by jaay on Sat, 08/12/2007 - 04:06
This PRICE HIKE is also becoming a yearly ritual, and the worst part is that government knowingly, is unable to do anything. Maybe, we may have to develop the habit of having the onion-free diet.

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