Mother Dairy's Safal Outlets Offer Onion Relief at Just Rs 25 per Kg

In response to the recent surge in onion prices across the country, the Indian government has stepped up its efforts to alleviate the burden on consumers. A series of initiatives have been launched to ensure that onions remain affordable and accessible to all citizens.

The latest move sees Mother Dairy's Safal outlets offering buffer onions at a subsidized rate of Rs 25 per kg in the Delhi-NCR region. Similarly, in Telangana and other southern states, the Hyderabad Agricultural Cooperatives Association (HACA) is facilitating the sale of these subsidized onions.

Cooperative bodies National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (Nafed) have been actively involved in the retail distribution of buffer onions on behalf of the central government. Nafed has already established 329 retail points, consisting of mobile vans and station outlets, in 55 cities across 21 states. Meanwhile, NCCF has set up 457 retail points in 54 cities spanning 20 states.

Also Read: Maha CM Encourages Bamboo Cultivation for Economic and Environmental Benefits, & To Check Pollution

Furthermore, Kendriya Bhandar has joined the effort by commencing the retail supply of onions through its outlets across the Delhi-NCR region since November 3.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has taken an assertive approach to offer consumers respite from escalating onion prices, primarily caused by the delayed arrival of the kharif crop. To counter this, the government has maintained a buffer stock of 5 lakh tonnes of onions for the current year and plans to create an additional buffer of 2 lakh tonnes.

Although wholesale prices have begun to exhibit a declining trend due to recent government interventions, this change takes some time to be reflected in retail markets. For example, on October 28, the wholesale price of onions at the Lasalgaon market in Maharashtra was Rs 4,800 per quintal, compared to Rs 3,650 per quintal on November 3, marking a 24% decrease in just one week.

Also Read: Odisha Government Offers Farmer Subsidies of Rs 58,000 to Boost Potato Cultivation

The Ministry anticipates that retail prices will soon follow suit and start declining from the coming week, offering relief to consumers who have been grappling with the recent spike in onion prices.

This initiative recalls the government's previous interventions when faced with rising prices of essential commodities. In the case of tomatoes, when prices soared in June 2023 due to supply disruptions caused by monsoon rains and white fly infestations, the government stepped in by procuring tomatoes through NCCF and Nafed from producing states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. These tomatoes were then supplied to consumers at highly subsidized rates in major consumption centers.

In addition to addressing onion prices, the government has also taken steps to ensure the availability and affordability of dal (pulses) for ordinary households. Under the "Bharat Dal" initiative, dal is made available for retail sale to consumers and for supply to the army and welfare schemes. This is facilitated through Nafed, NCCF, Kendriya Bhandar, Safal, and state-controlled cooperatives in Telangana and Maharashtra, all at a subsidized price of Rs 60 per kg.

With these measures, the government aims to safeguard the interests of consumers and ensure that essential food items remain within reach, particularly in times of market volatility and supply challenges.

Also Read: Escorts Kubota Reports Strong Q2 Profit Amidst Challenging Market Conditions