Onion prices coming down soon? The government sold 4,000 tons of buffer stock in 17 cities in 10 days | Today’s news
The central government has sold nearly 4,000 tonnes of onions from its buffer stock in 17 cities in the first 10 days of a subsidized retail initiative to bring down soaring prices, Consumer Affairs Minister Nidhi Khare said on Sunday.
For 2026, the Center through its agencies NCCF and Nafed has maintained a buffer stock of 1.21 million tonnes of onion.
“Distribution of buffer onions brought some relief to consumers”
As part of efforts to stabilize retail prices, the agencies are moving onions in bulk from major producing states to consumption centers by trucks and a specialized rail service called “Kanda Express”. Onions are sold at a subsidized price ₹35 per kg in select cities where prices are particularly sensitive.
“Around 4,000 tonnes of onions have been sold in 17 cities so far,” Khare told PTI.
She added that the bulk consignments have already been transported to Delhi and Chennai via Kanda Express, while the third rake has been loaded for dispatch to Guwahati in the coming days.
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“Distribution of buffer onion has brought some relief to consumers. Prices have come down slightly,” Khare said, adding that the quality of the government’s buffer stock was comparable in size and quality to that sold by private traders.
She noted that the rabi onion crop, which is usually stored for release later in the year, suffered some damage during harvest due to untimely rains.
NCCF Executive Director Anice Joseph Chandra said the federation alone has sold 1,500 tonnes of onions so far.
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“So far, we have sold 1,500 tons of bumper onions in various cities across the country. We are focusing on retail and sales on ₹35 per kg,” she said.
Several state governments have shown interest in the scheme, she said, with NCCF tying up with several states to sell through their shops, mobile vans, cooperative societies and other platforms identified by local governments.
NCCF retail intervention is currently underway in Delhi-NCR region, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Punjab, Odisha and several other states. The nodal Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) takes care of grading, grading, packing and transportation of buffer onions to these states.
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According to Chandra, the government’s subsidized sale of onions has led to prices falling roughly ₹2-3 per kg.
Data from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs showed that the average retail price of onion in India was ₹50.79 per kg as compared to ₹48.5 per kg when the subsidized sale was launched on August 28.
Onion Prices in Delhi, Chennai and Other Cities
From September 5, onions were sold at ₹58 per kg in Delhi, ₹53 per kg in Mumbai, ₹63 per kg in Chennai and ₹40 per kg in Ranchi. The average wholesale price was recorded at ₹42.79 per kg.
Officials said the outlook for the upcoming kharif onion crop is encouraging. Its expected arrival in the markets from mid-October is likely to improve supplies and provide further relief from high prices.
