Co-operative major Nafed today floated a tender for importing onions from Pakistan, Iran, China and Egypt.
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd has floated a tender after the retail prices of onion touched Rs 90 per kg even though the wholesale rates were much less at Rs 50-60 a kg.
The previous record high of retail prices was in 2010 when it touched Rs 85 per kg.
“Nafed is interested in importing onions of Pakistan, Iran, China and Egypt origin to be delivered at Nafed warehouse at Lawrence Road, New Delhi,” the co-operative major said in the tender.
According to a Nafed senior official, onions from Pakistan, Iran and China would cost around $200-250 per tonne, while those from Egypt is likely to cost $350 per tonne. Whereas India has fixed the minimum export price of onions at $900 per tonne to deter outbound shipments.
Nafed has sought “fresh quality big onions, red/pink in colour, size above 45mm, with white flesh, well dried, free from mechanically damaged, bulbs double, semi-matured, sprouted, soft, mushy, wet bulbs and completely free from fungus infestation and insect mould attack.”
It also said that a crop certificate issued by the competent authority stating that it is of new crop of 2013 is required.
Nafed had also floated a tender on September 2 for the import of onions. However, it reserves the right to accept or reject any or all offer in part or full without assigning any reason thereof, according to the tender.