Onion prices were steady at Rs 40—50 a kg in the retail markets of all metros but Chennai where it soared by Rs 20 a kg, even as rates of tomato and garlic fell sharply in Kolkata and Mumbai.

Fall in arrival of supplies led to the sharp surge in onion prices in Chennai, traders said, pointing that against 10 lorries on Monday only three lorries arrived in the wholesale market here on Tuesday.

Delhi too saw wholesale rate of onion increase by about Rs 3 a kg in Azadpur mandi, a wholesale market of fruits & vegetables, due to drop in arrivals owing to fog, but there was no pass through effect in retail prices.

The wholesale rate at Azadpur ruled at Rs 12—40 a kg.

Good news for households came from Kolkata and Mumbai where prices of tomato and garlic eased by up to Rs 15 a kg and up to Rs 100 a kg, respectively, on Tuesday, although they remained unchanged in Delhi and Chennai at Rs 40—50/kg and Rs 250—300/kg respectively.

Besides a marginal rise in Delhi, wholesale rate of onion also rose in Pimpalgaon (by Rs 8/kg at Rs 46/kg) while it eased substantially (by Rs 16/kg at Rs 31/kg) in Lasalgaon (the largest onion market in the country).

Nashik—based National Horticultural Research Development Foundation Director Mr R K Gupta attributed Tuesday’s onion price rise at Pimpalgaon to farmers’ unhappiness over softening of rates.

“Some farmers in the area are unhappy over softening prices of the vegetable and hence are bringing less quantity to the purchasing centres,” said Mr Gupta.

Azadpur market—based Onion Merchants Association General Secretary Mr Rajendra Sharma said: “There has been substantial fall in number of vehicles arriving in the market today from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.”

Only about 550 tonnes of onion reached Azadpur market today against 850 tonnes yesterday, Mr Sharma added.

In the national capital, state—run outlets such as Nafed, Kendriya Bhandar and NCCF were selling the edible kitchen bulb at a concessional rate of Rs 35 a kg, while Mother Dairy was vending onions at Rs 40 a kg.

“Onion continues to sell at Rs 40 a kg from our outlets in Delhi today...the rate is monitored on a daily basis after watching the price trend in the wholesale market,” a spokesperson of Mother Dairy told PTI.

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