Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: Gone are the days when onion peeling/chopping brought tears to the eyes. Now with the skyrocketing prices, the very mention of onion reminds of the proverb “onions make a good man’s eyes watery”. Onion has become dearer with the cost of a kilo hovering between Rs 35 and Rs 40.
Reportedly, onion prices have gone up drastically across the State compounding woes of the consumers who have alleged that the government has remained unmoved over the issue. No doubt the consumers are feeling the pinch as within a week from Rs 20-25/kilo, onion prices per kilo have gone up by Rs 10-15 at many places creating apprehension among consumers of a further price rise in near future.
For instance, a few days back, the consumers had purchased onion at Rs 30/kilo in Chatra Bazaar in Cuttack, but now it is priced at Rs 35/kilo, which has forced them to either not buy it or reduce the quantity of consumption.
A home-maker even said that she now has to use onion judiciously while preparing food, in view of the present rates.
The traders, on the other hand, attributed the price hike to non-availability of new stocks in the market.
Secretary of the Chatra Bazaar Trader Union, Debendranath Sahu said that the State heavily depends on Nashik, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and recent floods have caused damage to onion crops in these areas, completely cutting off onion import to Odisha.
However, the traders opined that if the government facilitates sale of onion at the model fair-price (Maitree) shops, consumers can avail onions at mandi-price.