Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : As part of its efforts to check the prices of essential commodities, the government has taken a decision to enable the States/UTs to impose control measures on traders/dealers of onion to ensure their adequate availability at reasonable prices.
The government on August 25, 2017, notified this decision. The states may now impose stock limits on onions and undertake various measures like de-hoarding operations, action against speculators and profiteers. This was necessitated due to the abnormal rise in prices of onions in recent weeks particularly from July end of this year though the production and supply of onions in the market is better than last year during the same period, according a PIB release.
As per all India average retail price, the prices have increased from Rs 15 per kg to Rs 28.94 per kg. In the Metros, the rise has been even steeper, Rs 31 per kg in Chennai, Rs 38 per kg in Delhi, Rs 40 per kg in Kolkata and Rs 33 per kg in Mumbai, according to the PIB release.
After examination of all the circumstances, the government has inferred that there are some other reasons than shortage of onions contributing to the abnormal price rise of onions like hoarding, speculation etc. Therefore the States/UTs were required to be enabled to take action against traders engaged in speculative trading, hoarding and profiteering in onions. The measure is expected to bring the prices of onions down to a reasonable level to give an immediate relief to the consumers, according to the release.