NEW DELHI: The Centre is likely to begin selling onions at a subsidised price of Rs 35 per kg across Delhi-NCR later this week to rein in soaring retail prices. Officials said locations for the retail sale through mobile vans will be finalised over the next couple of days.Building on the success of similar interventions in previous years, the Centre on Monday started operation of ‘Kanda Express’ trains to transport onions from Nashik in Maharashtra to key consumption centres — Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, Madurai and Guwahati.“The first priority is to offload bulk onions at major mandis to cool wholesale prices, which should eventually ease retail prices across Delhi-NCR,” a consumer affairs department official said.Govt is also planning retail market interventions at multiple locations in Delhi-NCR through mobile vans to ensure onions are available to consumers at the subsidised rate, the official added. Earlier such interventions in the region have been successful. Onion was selling at Rs 55 a kg in Delhi compared to Rs 35 a kilo a year back.Officials said that if required this initiative will be extended to other cities where retail price is higher than the average national price.“Onion availability is currently comfortable to meet domestic demand in the coming months supported by an estimated production of 307 lakh tonne in 2025-26 which is in line with the previous year’s production of 308 lakh tonne. In addition, buffer stocks are available for calibrated market intervention,” consumer affairs department said in an official statement.Onion prices have historically increased from Aug-Sept onwards owing to increased festive season, weather conditions, supply-chain movements and demand conditions during this period.
