Onions at Rs. 25 per kg in Raithu Bazar: Minister Mopidevi

Amaravati: The onions will be sold at Rs 25 per kilogram in Raithu Bazaar till the onion prices are accessible, said Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, Minister of Fisheries and Marketing at Secretariat on Tuesday, in a statement.

This decision has been taken after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered to buy a huge quantity of onions in view of public facing difficulties.

The onions are being imported from Maharashtra's Nanded and other states. So far, 653 metric tonnes of onions have been purchased, said, Minister.

Despite the financial burden on the government, the decision has been taken so that the public would not face problems. Marketing Intervention fund is being used for the purchase of onions from other states.

The Minister blamed that, some traders are creating an artificial crisis by illegal onion storage. Severe actions will be taken against those who create artificial onion crisis in the market, said Venkata Ramana.

The vigilance department officers are conducting raids on traders and storage building owners that creating artificial onion crisis. Despite the existing onion crisis in the market, few traders are trying to en cash the situation by storing the onions, so that they can hike the onion price during high demand.

The entire country is facing an onion crisis because of floods that have resulted in less yield of onions.

The Minister held this review meet with the Marketing department officials and taken necessary steps for the availability of the required quantity of onions and regulate the additional cost of onions.