Nashik onion traders participated in onion auctions on Friday after staying away from the market for the past five days. Market experts predicted that onion rates in the retail market will not soar for at least the next few days as the government is importing onions and traders at Nashik have resumed auctioning.

The average rate of onions at Lasalgon dropped to ₹5,100 while just 550 quintal onion arrived in the market. In Pimpalgaon Baswant, another major onion market in Nashik, a total of 3,560 quintal onion was brought in by farmers and the average rate for the bulb crop was at ₹5,800.

APMC officials said that more onion will arrive in the market in the next few days. Sohanlal Bhandari, President of Nashik District Onion Traders Association, told BusinessLine that traders decided to take part in auctioning after discussions with all party leaders. “Leaders across party lines held discussions with us and assured that traders will not face any problems. We hope the government ensures that traders are not victimised,” said Bhandari. He added that traders assured leaders and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that they will ensure that there is no price hike.

Traders had kept away from auctions to denounce Centre’s decision to impose stock limits of 25 tonnes on wholesalers and two tonnes on retailers till December 31.

The CM on Thursday appealed onion traders to withdraw the boycott and assured that he would speak with the Centre on onion stock limit issues.

Traders expressed satisfaction on the Central government’s decision to give the onion traders three days’ time for grading and packing of onions from the date of purchasing the commodity from the market before stock holding limits come into force.

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