Bengaluru | September 7, 2026
Onion prices in Bengaluru have crossed ₹70 a kilogram in retail markets after wholesale rates for top-grade onions at the Yeshwanthpur Agricultural Produce Market rose by ₹1,000 a quintal in a week, prompting the Union government to begin subsidised sales in an effort to contain the increase.
The price of ‘A’ grade onions at Yeshwanthpur reached ₹5,300 a quintal on Saturday, September 5, compared with ₹4,300 on August 29, according to market information reported by Prajavani. The weekly increase was recorded as demand remained strong across several regions while onions continued to arrive from Maharashtra and other locations.
Bengaluru’s retail price is higher than the rates reported in several other major cities. Onions were selling at ₹58 a kilogram in Delhi, ₹53 in Mumbai and ₹63 in Chennai. Ranchi recorded a retail price of ₹40 a kilogram, while the average price across the country was ₹50.79.
Lokesh G, an onion wholesaler at the Yeshwanthpur market, attributed the increase to demand from Puducherry, West Bengal and other places. He said onions were arriving from Maharashtra and that substantial quantities were also reaching markets from within Karnataka.
The Union government has started selling onions at a subsidised price of ₹35 a kilogram in an effort to moderate retail prices. Nidhi Khare, secretary in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, said 4,000 tonnes of onions had been sold across 17 cities during the previous 10 days as part of the intervention.
The government is also transporting onions from Nashik in Maharashtra to regions with high consumption through the ‘Kanda Express’ service. The distribution programme is intended to increase availability in markets where prices have risen, while subsidised sales provide an alternative supply channel for consumers.
The price increase comes before the expected arrival of new-season onions. Officials said new onions are expected to reach markets by the middle of October and that prices could decline after supplies increase. The timing of that arrival will determine how quickly wholesale and retail rates respond to additional market availability.
For Bengaluru consumers, the immediate difference between the city’s retail price and the national average has made onion costs a visible household concern. The Yeshwanthpur wholesale market remains a key point in the city’s supply chain, linking arrivals from producing regions and Karnataka markets with retailers and other demand centres.
The government’s current response consists of subsidised sales in selected cities and the movement of stocks from Nashik to high-consumption areas. Officials have indicated that market conditions will be reassessed as new-season onions begin arriving from mid-October.
