Retail intervention more effective to curb onion prices, pulses remain stable for festive season: Consumer Affairs Secy

Intervention in the retail market has proven to be more effective than intervention in the wholesale market in curbing the rising prices of onions,  Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said, adding that the government is intervening both in the wholesale and retail market by buying more and replenishing the buffer stock of onions.

Singh, emphasised the sale of onions at a discounted price of Rs. 25/kg, which he said, has been instrumental in price control. Plans are underway to further intensify retail intervention, building on the existing 800+ fixed retail points and 1,000+ mobile vans offering discounted onions across India, he added.

This strategy has already yielded results, with reduced retail onion prices observed in several cities, including Delhi NCR, Indore, Bhopal, Raipur, Ranchi, Jaipur, Kota, and Lucknow, according to Singh.

During the ongoing festive season, Singh said that the retail prices of lentils and moong are "down" and "reasonable". Chana dal, sold under the subsidized Bharat Dal label at an MRP of Rs. 60/kg by cooperatives and Kendriya Bhandar, is also affordable. The supply of Urad pulses has commenced from local crops and Myanmar, with manageable retail prices, even though there are supply concerns for Tur pulses, he added.