Onion prices continued to rule low in markets around growing areas as the quality of arrivals was poor.
“Arrivals are of not good quality. Due to rain and change in temperature, some onions are rotten or have sprouted,” said R.P. Gupta, Director of National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation in Nashik.
“Growers are brining onions that look like rotting from their stocks held over from the rabi crop,” said Madan Prakash, Director of Rajathi Group of companies, that exports agriculture produce. “Farmers are still holding to good quality onions and are offering only medium and poor quality ones,” said Gupta. At Nashik Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee yard, Asia’s largest for onion, the modal price or the rate at which most trades took place was Rs 470 a quintal, down from Rs 525 a week ago. Throughout this week, arrivals have been in the excess of 1,200 tonnes at Nashik APMC. Export demand is not encouraging in view of the quality of arrivals. “Pakistan is in the global market offering onions at a competitive price. But Malaysia was in the market last week to buy Indian onions,” said Prakash.
Meanwhile, kharif onions have started to arrive in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka markets, said Gupta.
“Arrivals in Karnataka are good. Usually, we will get onions with a damaged nose. But this time, we see no such damage. The growing regions have all received adequate rain,” said Prakash.
With Ganesh Utsav, Dasara and Diwali coming up, prices could improve a little.