Delhi Government to Procure NAFED Onions if Retail Prices Surge
The Delhi government will step in to procure onions from the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and supply them to residents at affordable rates if market prices rise further, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday.
The decision followed a review meeting chaired by Gupta to assess the availability and retail prices of onions and sugar across the Capital. While the assessment concluded that there is currently no shortage of either staple in Delhi, the Chief Minister directed the Food and Supplies Department to prepare for procurement from NAFED should prices experience another surge.
Recent market data shows that the all-India average retail price of onions increased by more than 28% over a single month, rising from ₹34.80 per kg on July 25 to ₹44.72 per kg on August 25. In Delhi, retail onion prices reached ₹55 per kg on Tuesday. Sugar prices have also climbed, rising by nearly ₹1 per kg to touch approximately ₹64 per kg in the local retail market.
Under the proposed intervention plan, the procured onions will be distributed across various locations in the city, including through dedicated sale camps. Consumers will pay the base procurement rate charged by NAFED, while the Delhi government will absorb the transportation and related operational costs to keep prices manageable.
Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that the administration is committed to preventing rising food costs from burdening local households. Department officials have been directed to track incoming onion shipments, manage distribution channels, and curb potential hoarding.
In addition to onion monitoring, authorities are enforcing measures to regulate sugar supplies. Sirsa noted that the central government has mandated specific storage limits to curb stockpiling, and the Delhi government will take punitive action against any traders or commercial establishments exceeding those limits. The Food and Supplies Department has also been tasked with drafting a detailed strategy to maintain stable sugar supplies at reasonable rates.
