Hyderabad is currently experiencing a flood of poor quality onions in its markets, with prices doubling. Traders attribute this to unseasonal weather conditions, which have resulted in low-quality onions. The issue of high prices and low quality is not limited to Hyderabad alone, as various parts of the country, especially Maharashtra, have been affected by less yield. Heavy rainfall in July and August damaged crops, leading to a price hike.
Just two weeks ago, onions were available at a reasonable range of Rs 22-25/kg for consumers. However, now grade I onions from Maharashtra are being sold at Rs 70-80 in Rythu Bazaar, while grade II onions from Karnataka are available at Rs 54. Low-quality onions are being sold at Rs 35-40. Despite the usual demand for grade I onions, the low production has forced the sale of low-quality onions.
The drop in onion arrivals is due to less production and has resulted in traders having to dispose of old stocks kept in cold storage, which are of low quality. This situation is expected to continue for a few months. Local vendors also express their disappointment as they typically rely on September and October for good yields of onions. However, this year’s unseasonal weather conditions have caused less production and a steep increase in prices.
