White onions from Turkey not to customers’ liking

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 5

Even as the retail price of onion across the state has plummeted to Rs100 or Rs110, the crop imported from Turkey or Afghanistan has reached ‘sabzi mandis’ here. Since the imported onion is white and of a larger size, people are buying compulsively, as the price has come down by Rs10 to Rs15 per kg.

Fresh stock of onions, smaller in size, coming from Kohlapur and Nasik, is priced at Rs90 per kg in the wholesale market, Turkish onion is priced at Rs80/82 per kg, the ones from Afghanistan are priced at Rs75/kg and the domestic onions in supermarkets are valued at Rs100/kg. Vendors in mohallas are selling the onions at a much high rate of Rs110 to 120 per kg.

“We are trying to maintain the taste by adding other ingredients, but are not able to enjoy cooking,” lament most women, adding that they were buying just half a kg of onion at a time. It has left even the ‘dhaba’ owners teary-eyed, with them replacing radishes for onions in salad.

Vishal Gulati, president, Old Sabzi Mandi Retailer Welfare Association, Jalandhar, says, “The additional supply of nearly 6-7 tonnes of imported onion from Turkey and Afghanistan everyday has really helped us in covering the gap between supply and demand. But, we are taking just one truck of the onion a day, as there is more demand for red onion.” District Mandi Officer, Jalandhar, Varinder Khera said, “There are seven main ‘arhtiyas’ dealing with onion. There is no hoarding in godowns.”

Secretary, Mandi Board, Punjab, Ravi Bhagat said, “I have instructed all my district mandi officers to conduct raids and remain vigilant.”