Centre to sell subsidised onions at ₹35/kg in Delhi from Thursday

Mumbai: The Centre will begin selling onions at a subsidised Rs 35 per kg in Delhi from Thursday as retail prices climb to Rs 55-60 per kg in several cities.Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi will launch the intervention, which will draw supplies from the government’s 1.21 lakh tonne onion buffer for 2026. Nafed, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar will handle retail distribution.Onion Prices Cross ₹60 Per Kg, Here’s What Is Fuelling The Sudden Surge Delhi Sales BeginNCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra said sales would begin in Delhi before expanding to the National Capital Region by the weekend. NCCF holds around 62,000 tonnes in buffer stock.The cooperative is transporting 400 tonnes from Nashik through the “Kanda Express”, expected to reach Delhi on Thursday. Onions will be sold through 100 Kendriya Bhandar stores, while discussions are under way with Mother Dairy to use 300 outlets. NCCF will initially deploy 15 mobile vans, increasing the fleet to 40.Nafed, which holds less than 55,000 tonnes, will also sell subsidised onions in Delhi and other centres, including Kochi and Guwahati.Dedicated railway rakes will also supply Chennai, Ernakulam, Madurai and Guwahati.Nashik: 840 Tonnes Of Onions To Be Dispatched From Lasalgaon To Delhi; Farmers Fear Price Pressure Prices Rise SharplyThe intervention follows a sharp rise in prices. India’s average retail onion price reached Rs 44.72 per kg on August 25, up more than 28% from Rs 34.80 a month earlier and 56% above Rs 28.67 a year ago.On Wednesday, onions retailed at Rs 60 per kg in Chennai and Kolkata, Rs 55 in Delhi, Rs 48 in Mumbai and Rs 38 in Ranchi.Average wholesale prices climbed to Rs 36.73 per kg on August 25, rising 63% year-on-year and 33.5% in a month.Officials attributed the increase to the seasonal August-September uptick, festive demand, weather disruptions and supply-chain movements.Supply Remains ComfortableThe government, however, said supplies remain comfortable. Onion production for 2025-26 is estimated at 307.37 lakh tonnes, broadly matching the previous year’s 307.67 lakh tonnes.

Starting Thursday, the government will sell onions in Delhi at a subsidised price of Rs 35 per kg. This initiative is designed to tackle the recent surge in onion prices nationwide. Consumers can purchase these subsidised onions from Nafed, NCCF, and Kendriya Bhandar outlets as the Centre uses its buffer stock to maintain a steady supply.

The onions being released into the market are from a buffer stock of 1.21 lakh tonne maintained across producing States for 2026

New Delhi: The Centre will begin retail sale of onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg in the national capital from Thursday, in a bid to check prices that have surged to Rs 55-60 per kg in several cities across the country.Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi is set to inaugurate the subsidised sale on Thursday, a senior official in the consumer affairs ministry said.The onions being released into the market are from a buffer stock of 1.21 lakh tonne maintained across producing states for 2026.The retail intervention will be carried out through three agencies -- Nafed, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar."We will start the sale tomorrow in Delhi and after by weekend extend to the NCR region," said Anice Joseph Chandra, Managing Director, National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) told PTI.Also read | Nestle CEO outlines new road map for "very attractive" India marketNCCF, which holds a buffer stock of 62,000 tonne of onion, is transporting 400 tonne from Nashik, Maharashtra, via the "Kanda Express", which is expected to reach Delhi on Thursday.The cooperative agency will retail onions through 100 Kendriya Bhandar stores and is in talks with Mother Dairy for sale through its 300 outlets, besides deploying mobile vans -- 15 initially, rising to 40 from the day after tomorrow.Supplies arriving by rail rake will also be used for sale in Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Varanasi and other cities, Chandra said.Nafed, which is maintaining a buffer of less than 55,000 tonne of onion, will similarly sell onions in Delhi and other centres, including Kochi and Guwahati.To move supplies quickly, the government is transporting bulk onion consignments to the capital via dedicated railway rakes christened "Kanda Express".The first such rake, carrying 800 tonne of onions, has already left Nashik and is en route to Delhi.Also read | India to divert 350,000 tonnes of sugar exports to local market amid shortageBesides Delhi, four other centres -- Chennai, Ernakulam, Madurai and Guwahati --are set to receive onion supplies through dedicated rakes, though bookings for these routes are yet to be made. SHARP PRICE RISE TRIGGERS INTERVENTION The move comes amid a steep spike in onion prices over the past month. The all-India average retail price rose over 28 per cent to Rs 44.72 per kg on August 25, up from Rs 34.80 per kg a month earlier on July 25. Compared with a year ago, when onions retailed at Rs 28.67 per kg, prices have jumped 56 per cent.The situation is starker in several metros. On Wednesday, retail onion prices stood at Rs 60 per kg in both Chennai and Kolkata (against Rs 35 and Rs 32 per kg, respectively, a year ago), Rs 55 per kg in Delhi (Rs 33 a year ago), Rs 48 per kg in Mumbai (Rs 32) and Rs 38 per kg in Ranchi (Rs 25).Wholesale prices have followed a similar trajectory. Ministry data shows the average wholesale price stood at Rs 36.73 per kg on August 25, up 63 per cent year-on-year from Rs 22.54 per kg, and up 33.5 per cent over the past month alone.Officials attribute the price rise to the usual seasonal uptick seen between August and September, driven by festive demand, weather-related disruptions, supply chain movements and shifting consumption patterns.Despite the price surge, the government maintains that onion availability remains adequate to meet domestic demand in the coming months. This is backed by an estimated 2025-26 production of 307.37 lakh tonne, broadly on par with the 307.67 lakh tonne recorded the previous year.

The onions being released into the market are from a buffer stock of 1.21 lakh tonne maintained across producing states for 2026.

The onions will be sold through government agencies, including the NCCF and Nafed, as the Centre seeks to contain rising prices.