Onion prices begin to escalate again in Chennai within a gap of one month
The Hindu
Onion prices in Chennai soar due to dip in harvest in producing states; other vegetables, such as brinjal & bitter gourd, also pricier.
A dip in harvest in States growing onion has pushed its prices up in Chennai and the cost of onion crossed ₹50 per kg in the wholesale market.
Wholesale traders said the Koyambedu wholesale market received only 50% of the daily stock of onions on Tuesday. The market normally received most of its onion stock from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana. The widening gap between demand and supply had hiked the onion prices in the city.
The onion price had gone up to ₹62 a kg in retail market. A few other vegetables, such as brinjal and bitter gourd too, have become pricier post Cyclone. It may be recalled that the cost of onions had touched ₹100 a kg in November and the State government had sold onions at a subsidised rate in its Pannai Pasumai outlets to reduce consumers’ burden.
P. Sukumar, treasurer, Koyambedu Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers Merchants’ Association, said, there may be a further rise in the cost of onions and prices may drop only after Pongal festival. Small onions too were expensive and were priced at ₹80 to ₹90 per kg.
Normally, vegetables cost about 10% more in December as fresh crops arrive only in January. But some vegetable varieties like ridge gourd and ladies finger were costly by 25% owing to downpour in Andhra Pradesh that affected the harvest, he said.
One kg of brinjal was priced at ₹60 to ₹70 in the wholesale market. However, some of the seasonal vegetables like green peas were available at a cheaper rate. The situation may stabilise by mid-January, traders noted.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.