Onion prices are likely to remain firm till Diwali in India

Onion prices are expected to remain steady till Diwali, traders said, as the vegetable rate in the metros, including Delhi and Mumbai, hovered around Rs 60 per kg, driven higher by speculation that crop damage caused by unseasonably wet weather might hamper supplies. Prices of tomatoes and vegetables such as cabbage and bottle gourd have risen in tandem with onions, as heavy moisture has harmed crop quality. Traders predict that weather will continue to be a major effect on onion prices until December, when the arrival of the fresh crop is expected to be at its height. "There is a great deal of ambiguity." If the weather continues to be a hindrance, costs may rise much more. However, if we get good weather, prices might be constant until Diwali,” said HS Bhalla, an onion dealer from the Azadpur APMC (agricultural produce marketing committee) in Delhi. The benchmark Lasalgaon market in Nashik district, which is now the largest supplier of onions to Delhi, has seen wholesale onion ...