Govt's onion buffer stock quality 'good', storage with CWC aids shelf life: Consumer affairs secy Nidhi Khare
The Centre assures good quality of its onion buffer stock, refuting spoilage claims. Dedicated rail rakes are transporting onions to major cities to boost supplies. This initiative is expected to help rein in rising retail onion prices soon. The kharif and rabi crop outlooks are also promising for future availability. Onion availability remains comfortable to meet domestic demand in the coming…
Onion buffer stock quality remains good, according to Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare. The Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) has been tasked with storage this year to ensure a longer shelf life for the commodity. Khare dismissed reports of a 30% loss in the 1.21 lakh tonne onion buffer, stating that the quality is satisfactory.
Unlike previous years, where traders stored the onion buffer, this year the responsibility lies with the CWC, which performs regular quality assessments. Onion contains 90% water, allowing it to retain quality for three months post-harvest, after which it continues to deteriorate due to water vaporization. The spoilage rate depends on storage conditions and ventilation.
This year's buffer stock recovery is estimated at 72%, up from 49% in 2022, 54% in 2023, and 63% in 2024. The onion is procured through agencies like Nafed and NCCF, with the Kanda Express, a dedicated rail rake, transporting the stock to Delhi, Chennai, Madurai, Ernakulam, and Guwahati. A 453-tonne consignment reached Delhi on Friday, aimed at increasing supplies in the Delhi-NCR region and curbing prices, with the impact on retail rates expected within a week.
Mandi prices in Nashik have started to ease since the initiative began. Khare noted that Nashik's onion price of Rs 44/kg on August 24 was higher than the Delhi retail price of Rs 25/kg on the same day. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are gradually becoming significant suppliers of onion to Delhi and other northern states. Khare affirmed that the kharif onion crop outlook is promising, with the El Nino scare now over.
She also reassured concerns over El Nino's impact on the rabi onion crop, citing improved irrigation and healthy water levels in key reservoirs. Despite a retail onion price spike of 88% to Rs 62/kg in New Delhi, Khare claimed that onion availability remains adequate to meet domestic demand in the coming months, with a projected 2025-26 production of 307.37 lakh tonnes, similar to the previous year's output of 307.67 lakh tonnes.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times - Economy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
