The Indian government has transported 1,600 metric tonnes of onions using a special train called the "Kanda Express." The train left from a place in Maharashtra called Lasalgaon and reached Delhi at the station Kishanganj. This step is to help keep onion prices stable in the National Capital Region (NCR), where the prices have recently gone up to ₹75 per kilogramme.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said that using a train to transport onions is a big first for the government. Added, if this plan works well, they might do the same for other cities like Lucknow and Varanasi and for other northeastern states like Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. Khare also said that it is cheaper to move onions by train than by truck. It costs₹70.20 lakh to send one load of onions by train from Nashik to Delhi, but it costs₹84 lakh to send the same amount by truck.
Efforts to stabilise prices
To help control onion prices, the government has bought 4.7 lakh metric tonnes of rabi onions this year for a price stabilisation buffer. They started selling these onions on September 5, setting the price at ₹35 per kilogramme.
Recent reports from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs reflect that the average retail prices for onions have gone down in several states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra, as compared to the prices in early September. "Mandi prices in Lasalgaon also declined from the peak of ₹ 47 per kg on September 24 to ₹ 40 kg on October 15," the Ministry said last week.
Tomato prices rise due to bad weather
The government is also looking into the rising prices of tomatoes. They said the price increase is due to too much rain and high moisture in important tomato-growing states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Bad weather and disease have affected the tomato harvest and how long they last. However, the government believes that the supply of tomatoes will get better soon because more will be coming from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, which should help lower the prices.