With the heaps of imported onions burdening the centre with the huge task of carrying out a fair distribution, the government has decided to move ahead with a rather friendlier approach towards the retail sale of these onions. While addressing a press conference, Food and Consumer Affair Minister Ram Vilas Paswan announced that the imported onions would be sold at landed price of ₹49 and ₹58 per kilogram.
In the press conference, Paswan elaborated, " Imported onions are offered by the government of India to States/Union territories at no-profit no-loss basis for its direct retailing and distribution to the customers in the price range of ₹50-60 per kg." Earlier, the imported onions were available to the states at ₹67 a kg.
As some states failed their commitment to lift the imported onions, the centre is persuading the states to buy them at cheaper price, assuring them that all the transportation costs will be taken care of by the centre. One of the prime reasons as to why states are not being able to lift these onions is the low consumer demands for the imported onions.
Many states including Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Odisha have reportedly withdrawn the demand for imported onions. It is believed that the imported onions are not suitable for the Indian taste buds due to its less pungency, and this could be a reason for the unwillingness of the consumers to buy the imported onions. The decision to persuade the states to buy imported onions at cheaper rates was taken after a video conference of State Chief Secretaries assembled by the Cabinet Secretary.
The centre placed orders for importing 41,950 tonnes of onions through public sector MMTC, and a quantity of 39,924 tonnes of onions are anticipated to arrive in the month of January, as told by the department.
