Onion prices surge; Centre to roll out Kanda Express from Monday
The Indian government is launching 'Kanda Express' trains to transport onions from surplus regions to cities experiencing high retail prices. This intervention aims to stabilize the market following a surge in onion and sugar prices caused by supply chain issues and production declines.
Why it matters
Food inflation is a critical economic issue in India, and government logistics interventions are key to maintaining food security and political stability.
NEW DELHI: In its bid to check rising prices of onion across different regions, govt will start offloading its buffer stock. As average price of the key kitchen commodity increased to Rs 42 per kg on Saturday, 45% higher than last year and 19% more than last month, Centre will operate from Monday Kanda Express (trains transporting onions) from Nasik to Delhi, Chennai, Kochi and Guwahati, where prices are higher than the national average.As per consumer affairs department data, the retail price of onion was Rs 65 a kg in Delhi compared with Rs 35 a year back. In Chennai, onion was selling at Rs 58 a kilo as against Rs 33 last year. Onion prices are elevated in parts of Kerala and Assam as well.
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