Centre To Sell Onions At ₹35/kg In Delhi As Prices Surge

Mumbai: The Centre will begin selling onions at a subsidised Rs 35 per kg in Delhi from Thursday as retail prices climb to Rs 55-60 per kg in several cities.

Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi will launch the intervention, which will draw supplies from the government’s 1.21 lakh tonne onion buffer for 2026. Nafed, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar will handle retail distribution.

NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra said sales would begin in Delhi before expanding to the National Capital Region by the weekend. NCCF holds around 62,000 tonnes in buffer stock.

The cooperative is transporting 400 tonnes from Nashik through the “Kanda Express”, expected to reach Delhi on Thursday. Onions will be sold through 100 Kendriya Bhandar stores, while discussions are under way with Mother Dairy to use 300 outlets. NCCF will initially deploy 15 mobile vans, increasing the fleet to 40.

Nafed, which holds less than 55,000 tonnes, will also sell subsidised onions in Delhi and other centres, including Kochi and Guwahati.

Dedicated railway rakes will also supply Chennai, Ernakulam, Madurai and Guwahati.

The intervention follows a sharp rise in prices. India’s average retail onion price reached Rs 44.72 per kg on August 25, up more than 28% from Rs 34.80 a month earlier and 56% above Rs 28.67 a year ago.

On Wednesday, onions retailed at Rs 60 per kg in Chennai and Kolkata, Rs 55 in Delhi, Rs 48 in Mumbai and Rs 38 in Ranchi.

Average wholesale prices climbed to Rs 36.73 per kg on August 25, rising 63% year-on-year and 33.5% in a month.

Officials attributed the increase to the seasonal August-September uptick, festive demand, weather disruptions and supply-chain movements.

The government, however, said supplies remain comfortable. Onion production for 2025-26 is estimated at 307.37 lakh tonnes, broadly matching the previous year’s 307.67 lakh tonnes.