team herald
BELGAUM: While the rising vegetable prices has affected the kitchen budget of the common Goan household, one can be relieved as prices of onions that were soaring since the last couple of months are gradually coming down.
With the beginning of the onions harvest season in Bijapur and Pune districts, quantity of onions arriving in Belgaum and Kolhapur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets is also on the rise.
While the ban on export of onions by the Center has resulted in overstocking of onions by farmers from Pune, Ahmednagar, Nasik districts in Maharashtra, these farmers have opened their stored onion godowns fearing drastic fall in onions prices due to the new harvest.
According to wholesale onions traders, about 500 metric tonnes of onions is arriving in these markets from where onions are sent to Goa. Though the supplies in Belgaum market where onions arrive every Wednesday and Saturday have slowed down, as the continuous rains have affected the onions harvesting, farmers fearing the rotting of onions due to heavy rains are still trying to take out onions whenever possible.
There is a considerable rise in arrival of onions in the market that has affected the prices. Compared to last week, the prices of onions have come down by about Rs 500 per quintal. Prices of onions on Monday were between Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,200 per quintal, depending upon the quality.
“Prices are expected to fall further within next fortnight as the harvest season is expected to reach its peak in mid-September which will further have direct impact on onion prices,” said Shivajirao Hongekar, a wholesale onions trader.
