Prices of onion, tomato and potato cheaper than last year, says govt

Prices of onion, tomato and potato cheaper than last year, says govt

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The government on Sunday said that prices of onion, tomato and potato are cheaper than last year.

It also said, Onion prices being stabilised with buffer stock release and efforts are on to soften tomato and potato rates. Onion stocks are being released in the market on the first-in-first-out basis in a calibrated manner from the last week of August in a bid to moderate prices and ensure minimum storage loss.

As a result of this, the retail onion price was ruling in the range of 42 to 57 rupees per kg in metros on October 14. The all-India average retail price of onion was ruling at 37 rupees 06 paise per kg, while the average wholesale rate was 30 rupees per kg on October 14.



In a statement, the Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry said, buffer stock of onion is being released in states where prices ruled above all-India average and also where prices are rising over the previous month.



Besides releasing onions in the market, the ministry has offered onions from the buffer at 21 rupees per kg to all states and Union territories for lifting from the storage locations.



This will enable states to take up, by themselves, for market interventions either through direct supply to retail consumers through retail outlets or release in key markets to bring down prices.



The ministry further said the onion stocks are also available for supply to central and state agencies involved in retail marketing either at an ex-storage rate of 21 rupees per kg or landed price after including transportation costs.



Mother Dairy’s retail chain SAFAL has been offered at a landed price of 26 rupees per kg.