Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: The government on Tuesday asked state-run trading company MMTC to import 10,000 tonnes of onion. It has also directed cooperative Nafed to cancel its tender.
NAFED had re-invited bids for import of 10,000 tonnes of onions from countries like Pakistan, China and Egypt after it failed to attract any supplier in the previous tender. The bids required to be submitted before August 27.
Onion prices are on rise due to mismatch in supply and demand. For instance, retail prices of onion in the national capital have gone up to Rs 60 per kg. A similar trend prevails in other parts of the country.
Onion prices are rising due to the fall in production and sluggish supply of stored onions, meant for meeting the demand during the lean period of July-September.
Total onion production is estimated to be lower at 189 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 crop year (July-June), slightly lower than 194 lakh tonnes in the year-ago.
Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh are the top three onion producing states in the country.
With PTI Inputs
