Onion going the tomato way in Odisha, skyrocketing price leaves consumers teary-eyed 

After soaring tomato prices burnt a hole in the pockets of the common man in Odisha for some months, a steep rise in the prices of onion has been causing wallets to bleed. The prices of the kitchen staple have almost doubled within one month.

Owing to supply disruptions in Nashik, the country’s largest supplier of onions, the price has soared from Rs 20-25/kg to Rs 50-60/kg. Some vegetable vendors in Bhubaneswar are even selling onions at Rs 80 per kilo.

Vegetable sellers have attributed the price rise to crop loss and price hikes in Nashik. Consumers would continue to face the brunt of the price rise until fresh onions hit the market in the month of November, it was learnt.

The impact of the price rise is now being felt in homes and hotels.

Speaking to OTV, General Secretary of Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangha, Sudhakar Panda said, “It is common for the rise in onion price every year during October-November month. This is because the Rabi crop is often affected due to the erratic rainfall patterns during this season. This leads to a rise in the price.”

“New onions will soon start arriving in the market from Bangalore and Andhra Pradesh. It is delayed due to the rainfall activities in Odisha. As soon as the new crop arrives, the price will immediately decrease by November 15,” he added.

Panda also came down heavily on business houses for hoarding onions and selling them at high prices during shortages. He further alleged that the corporate houses were being assisted at the government’s administrative and political level.

“While the farmers and vegetable vendors are blamed for the price rise, the government is mum on those who are actually responsible for the price rise because everyone is hand in gloves,” he added.