State-owned trading firm MMTC, which is importing onions on the behalf of the federal government, has placed an order for 11,000 tons from Turkey as part of its efforts to boost domestic supply and ease soaring prices, sources said. This is the second import order placed by the MMTC. The public sector firm is already importing 6,090 tons from Egypt.
Last month, the Union Cabinet approved importing 120,000 tons of onion to improve the domestic supply and control prices that have skyrocketed to ₹75-120 per kg across major cities now. The Centre has already banned exports and imposed stockholding limit on wholesalers and retailers for indefinite period.
According to sources, MMTC has contracted 11,000 tons of onion imports from Turkey and the consignments are expected in January next year.
The company had placed an order for the first consignment of 6,090 tons of onion from Egypt which will be arriving at Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Mumbai in the second week of this month. The imported onion is being offered to state governments for distribution at the rate of ₹52-55 per kg ex-Mumbai and ₹60 per kg ex-Delhi.
To monitor onion prices, a Group of Ministers, chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, has already been constituted. Finance minister, consumer affairs minister, agriculture minister and road transport minister are also members of this panel. A Committee of Secretaries (CoS) and Consumer Affairs Secretary Avinash K Srivastava is also constantly reviewing the situation.
Onion prices remain high across the major cities of the country as the average selling price ruled at ₹75 per kg on Saturday (November 30) while the maximum rate of ₹120 per kg was recorded in Mayabunder, according to the data compiled by the Consumer Affairs ministry.
[ Rs100 = €1.30 ]
