A delayed red-onion season has pushed onion prices higher in Pune, with wholesale rates rising by Rs 25 a kilogram in about six weeks and retail prices reaching Rs 60-70 a kilogram, according to a report by Loksatta – Pune published on September 9.
The increase has followed a delay in new red-onion cultivation after an uneven rainfall pattern affected planting in major onion-growing areas of Maharashtra and southern states. The delayed crop is expected to extend the period of higher prices for consumers, with traders estimating that the impact could continue for at least one-and-a-half to two months.
At the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Market Yard in Pune, wholesale onions that sold for Rs 18-25 a kilogram about a month and a half ago are currently being traded at Rs 42-50 a kilogram, the report said. Retail sellers are charging between Rs 60 and Rs 70 a kilogram.
Ram Narwade, an onion trader at the market yard, said the new red-onion crop had been delayed because rainfall had not been adequate for cultivation. Red onions are grown extensively in Nashik, Shirur, Khed and Ambegaon in Pune district, as well as in Shrigonda and Parner in Ahilyanagar district, according to his statement reported by Loksatta.
The market yard is currently receiving supplies from Shirur, Khed, Manchar and Ambegaon in Pune district, along with Parner and Shrigonda. Onion cultivation in southern states has also been affected by weak rainfall, traders said, adding to pressure on arrivals into wholesale markets.
Traders said the new red-onion season could take about two months to begin. Until fresh supplies arrive, they expect onion prices to remain firm. The timing and scale of the eventual price movement will depend on the arrival of the new crop, although the report does not provide an official forecast from an agricultural or market-regulating authority.
The higher prices are affecting households at a time when the market is also reflecting a change in returns for farmers. Traders said onion growers had received poor prices for the past two years and were now satisfied that the crop was fetching better rates. The current increase therefore reflects both delayed supply and improved returns for producers, based on the trader accounts cited in the report.
For consumers in Pune, the immediate effect is the widening gap between wholesale and retail prices. The wholesale rate reported at the market yard is Rs 42-50 a kilogram, while retail onions are selling at Rs 60-70 a kilogram. The next major market milestone will be the start of arrivals from the new red-onion crop in the producing areas of Maharashtra and other affected states.
