Kolkata: The government will be selling onions at Rs 35 a kg from today. The essential vegetable will be available in Delhi at this subsidized rate. This
is nearly 40-45% of the price at which onion is retailing in different markets around the country including the capital. Officially, the price of onions is Rs 55 a kg. In fact, good quality onions are selling for even higher rates. To provide the common individual relief from rising prices, the government has decided to send 800 tons of onions to Delhi via the first Kanda Express. The onions will be sold through NAFED, NCCF, and Central Warehouse stores. The administration has taken this step to control rising prices.
The government has maintained a buffer stock of approximately 1.21 lakh tonnes of onions for 2026. This is used to prevent sudden price increases. Onion production is estimated to be approximately 307.37 lakh tonnes in 2025-26. This is almost equal to last year’s 30.767 million tons. The government says onion availability will be sufficient to meet domestic demand in the coming months.
800 tons of onions to arrive in Delhi
According to the government, 800 tons of onions will be delivered to Delhi via the first Kanda Express. This onion is being shipped from the government’s buffer stock, which is stored in Nashik, Maharashtra. This stock is released into the market when prices rise. The aim is to reduce price pressure by increasing onion availability in the market.
Onions dispatched to other cities too
The government is not sending buffer onions to Delhi only. It is also sending onions via railway rakes to Chennai, Ernakulam, Madurai and Guwahati. Efforts are being made to control rising prices in these cities as well. The government says that the strategic buffer stock is used to maintain supply during times of need. More trains carrying onions can be sent in the coming days depending on the situation.
Onion prices jump 28%
Onion prices in the country have seen a sharp increase in the past month. The all-India average retail price on August 25th was Rs 44.72 per kg, compared to Rs 34.80 per kg on July 25. This means the price increased by nearly 28% in a single month. On this day a year ago, the average price of onion was Rs 28.67 per kg.
Prices up to Rs 60 per kg in major cities
Onion prices are very high in many major cities. On August 25, onions were selling for Rs 60 per kg in Chennai and Kolkata. In Delhi, the price was Rs 55 and in Mumbai, it was Rs 48 per kg. In Ranchi, onions were Rs 38 per kg. Consequently, government-owned onions will be far cheaper than the market price.
