Shillong, Nov 01: Onion continued to be costly in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, and other parts of the state on Tuesday.

The country is once again grappling with the dramatic fluctuation in onion prices, like every year. Six months ago, the prices ranged from 20 to 30 per kg, with onion prices at Rs 70, 80, 90, and even Rs 100 per kg at present. According to reports, the prices can go as high as Rs 150 kg.

On Sunday, the onion price was Rs 80 per kg in Laitumkhrah and Rs 90 in Bara Bazar.

On Tuesday, the onion price touched Rs 100/kg.

The sudden dip and subsequent rise and dip in onion prices have undoubtedly raised curiosity and concern among consumers and stakeholders.

The all-India average retail onion price increased by Rs 3.40 per kg to Rs 53.75 per kg on Tuesday, according to official data.

According to a senior ministry official, the delay in kharif onion sowing due to weather reasons resulted in less coverage and the late arrival of the crop. The fresh kharif onion should have started arriving by now, but it has not.

With stored rabi onions getting exhausted and delays in the arrival of the kharif onions, there is a tight supply situation, resulting in price increases in both wholesale and retail markets, the official said.

So far, 1.8 lakh tonnes of onions have been released into the market. About 15 lakh tonnes of onions have been exported till October 20 of this fiscal.

As per the official data, the total onion exports stood at 25 lakh tonnes in the 2022–23 fiscala.

It must be noted that onions are grown in three seasons: kharif, late kharif, and rabi. The onion is stored in rabi, which is stored because the variety grown in this season has a longer shelf life.

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