Minister Mopidevi warns stern action against onion hoarders in Kakinada

Kakinada: Minister for Marketing and Fisheries and district-in-charge Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramanarao said that the government will initiate stern action against those who sell onions at exorbitant price by creating artificial scarcity in the market.

Speaking to media at R&B guest house here on Thursday, Mopidevi said that the government was providing the onions for consumers at Rs 25 a kg at Rythu Bazars. He said 200 metric tonnes of onions were required for December and the government procured 150 metric tonnes of onions from Sholapur and Kurnool markets.

He said the government purchased 24,416 quintals of onions at Rs 14 crores of which Rs 8 crore being used from Market Intervention funds. Mopidevi said the biggest problem the nation facing right now was the price of onions and added heavy rains at the time of harvesting have caused huge crop damage.

To avoid inconvenience to the consumers, the marketing department buying onions through Nafed at a higher price and supplying it to customers at Rs 25 a kg, he said. He said the Central government was importing onions from Turkey and Egypt to check the price rise.