Panaji, Oct 24 (TNN): Onion prices reached 70 per kg in the retail market in Panaji on Wednesday, a 20 jump from last week. Vegetable vendors said the superior pink variety of onions has not been coming to the Goa market for the past couple of days.

“Three days ago, onion rates went up to 65, and today, they touched 70. My customers have cut down their onion purchase by half—most of them are picking up just a few for the day’s cooking alone, in the hope that the prices will go down in a day or two. When they complain, I inform them that people in Delhi are paying 100 per kg,” Panaji market vegetable vendor Madan Naik said. “I have accordingly reduced my bulk purchase of onions,” he added. The wholesale price of onion as of Wednesday was 65 per kg.

At the Goa State Horticulture Development Corporation (GSHDC) stalls and vegetable carts, the kitchen essential is a bit cheaper, the red Belgaum onions selling at 54 a kg. At these outlets, each person is allowed to purchase just two kg of onions per day. Officials have also been asked to stay alert, to prevent the sale of subsidized onions to restaurant staff or vegetable hawkers. tnn

“The sudden price rise is the result of increased demand for Belgaum onions across the country. Belgaum has begun to supply onions to south Indian states, where the crop was affected due to pre-monsoon rains, as well as all the states hit by cyclone Phailin. The resultant shortage has led to the rates being hiked, but they should come down within two weeks,” GSHDC manager (farms) Joaquim de Sousa said.

Until then though, families would have to tighten their belts, as tomatoes have also become dearer, with retail prices reaching Rs 40 a kg. At GSHDC stalls, the rates were lower at Rs 29 a kg.

The rise in price may not affect restaurants much, as most have annual contracts of fixed prices for procurement of vegetables, say vendors. “I still have to supply onions at Rs 45 a kg to the restaurants I have an agreement with—it’s a Rs 20 loss for me,” Naik said.

De Sousa said that such dramatic hikes in onion prices could be prevented if Goan farmers start growing onions. “This year, agriculture department has procured large amounts of onion seeds, hoping that Goan farmers would be encouraged to start growing onions,” de Sousa said.

While there is an onion variety that is grown in Goa, it is of superior quality and would even fetch Rs 70 per kg in the market he added. “The farmers here will not be willing to sell their produce to the corporation,” he said.