Subsidised onion sales see limited queues in Vijayawada

Subsidised onion sales at Rythu Bazaars in Vijayawada have not produced the large queues expected after the Andhra Pradesh government capped the price at ₹35 per kilogram. The initiative began on September 30 at Rythu Bazaars across the state. However, consumers have not become fully dependent on the markets, according to estate officers quoted by The Hindu.

Karunakar, an estate officer at Patamata, said onions were selling for about ₹50 per kilogram outside the bazaar. The ₹15 difference, he said, was not wide enough to create a rush. At the Krishna Lanka and Patamata Rythu Bazaars, about one tonne of onions was sold on average over the three days covered by the report.

The sales came as consumers faced higher prices for some other vegetables. Karunakar said tomatoes and brinjals had risen to ₹44 per kilogram after heavy rainfall across the state. Before the rain, both vegetables had been selling for less than ₹30 per kilogram.

The rainfall was attributed to a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal. Karunakar said prices could take about two weeks to stabilise. However, the possibility of another weather system forming over the Bay of Bengal around October 15 has raised expectations that prices could rise again.

The report did not give details of the total quantity of onions made available under the subsidised programme or the government’s expected duration for the price cap.