Odisha govt takes steps to control onion price rise

Bhubaneswar: The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department has directed onion traders to supply sufficient onions to the market to avoid shortage of the item.

A meeting was held at the State Secretariat between officials of the Food Supplies department and traders, where it was decided that the State government would keep a tab on onion price for 15 days till onion gets imported in the State from Nasik of Maharashtra.

In case there is any delay in arrival of onions, the State government would intervene into the pricing of the vegetable.

Besides, the department asked wholesalers to issue cash memo to small traders.

Meanwhile, consumers are unhappy with the spiralling onion prices.

Swayam Prakash Mohapatra, a consumer, stated, “Throughout the year onion prices remained high which makes us displeased. The State should have taken steps on setting up more cold storages to keep a good stock of onion.”

Another consumer Pramod Sahu stated had onion been produced in large quantities in the State, the price would have been relatively low.