Retail onion prices have touched Rs 80 per kg in the national capital owing to tight supply, while a similar spike is seen in other cities as well, as per the trade data. Onions in other metro cities are being sold at Rs 50-70 per kg depending on the quality and locality, the data showed.

At Azadpur mandi here, Asia's largest vegetable market, onion prices are ruling at over Rs 50-60 per kg, and the same onion is being retailed at Rs 80 per kg today, a trader said. Wholesale and retail prices are ruling high because of lower arrivals from the key growing states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. In Maharashtra's Lasalgoan mandi Asia's biggest market for onion arrivals have dropped by 47 per cent to 12,000 quintal today from 22,933 quintal on the same day a year-ago.

Onion at Lasalgoan is being sold at Rs 33 per kg today as against Rs 7.50 per kg a year-ago, as per the data maintained by the Nasik-based National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF).

Meanwhile, the Centre has asked state-owned MMTC to import 2,000 tonnes of onion and directed Nafed and SFAC to source 12,000 tonnes locally to boost supplies. A minimum export price of USD 850 per tonne has been imposed to restrict the outbound shipment of onion.

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