HUBBALLI: Thanks to Cyclone Ockhi, the price of onion which increased to Rs 5,000 per quintal is expected to come down in North Karnataka from Monday. The price was in the upward direction as growers have been exporting their produce to Bengaluru. In the Hubballi retail market, the price of onion was about to cross Rs 70 per kg.
Rachappa Gadagin, a farmer in Dambal village, Gadag district, said that where he gets a better price in Bengaluru. "We need to pay commission in the local market, which is higher than the transportation charges required to send the produce to Bengaluru. We have to pay Rs 140 per quintal as transportation charges while the commission crosses Rs 170 in the local markets. So, we are all transporting our produce to Yeshwantpur market in Bengaluru," he explained.
Nasir Hussain Attar, an onion trader in Hubballi APMC, noted that the supply from local farmers is very low in Hubballi.
"As there were no rains in the beginning of the season, many farmers opted for traditional crops. The recent heavy rains destroyed onion crops. So we are depending on arrivals from neighbouring districts like Bagalkot, Belagavi and even Maharashtra," he stated.
Another trader Suryakant Habib predicted that the arrival from Maharashtra will increase from Monday. "Once it starts, the price will automatically come down. However, onion sowing has decreased all over the nation due to drought. Moreover, onion growers turned to other crops as prices crashed to Rs 300-500 per quintal last year. These aspects are expected to maintain average price for onion in the market," he said.
Gonibasappa Korlahalli, president, Karnataka State Onion Growers Association, said: "Price was in upward direction till this week and now it is coming down slowly. Cyclone in neighbouring states, arrival from Maharashtra is the reason for the decrease of price. However, there is hope of retaining average price as North Karnataka has grown small onion more this year. There is big demand for this small onion, which is tastier than its bigger counterparts from Malaysia, Singapore and Pakistan. As Maharashtra has grown bigger onion, its arrival cannot compete with our produce," he said.
Umesha Pujar, who runs an eatery in Vidyanagar, said that he had to replace onions, which cost Rs 7-8 per piece, with cabbage.
Rachappa Gadagin, a farmer in Dambal village, Gadag district, said that where he gets a better price in Bengaluru. "We need to pay commission in the local market, which is higher than the transportation charges required to send the produce to Bengaluru. We have to pay Rs 140 per quintal as transportation charges while the commission crosses Rs 170 in the local markets. So, we are all transporting our produce to Yeshwantpur market in Bengaluru," he explained.
Nasir Hussain Attar, an onion trader in Hubballi APMC, noted that the supply from local farmers is very low in Hubballi.
"As there were no rains in the beginning of the season, many farmers opted for traditional crops. The recent heavy rains destroyed onion crops. So we are depending on arrivals from neighbouring districts like Bagalkot, Belagavi and even Maharashtra," he stated.
Another trader Suryakant Habib predicted that the arrival from Maharashtra will increase from Monday. "Once it starts, the price will automatically come down. However, onion sowing has decreased all over the nation due to drought. Moreover, onion growers turned to other crops as prices crashed to Rs 300-500 per quintal last year. These aspects are expected to maintain average price for onion in the market," he said.
Gonibasappa Korlahalli, president, Karnataka State Onion Growers Association, said: "Price was in upward direction till this week and now it is coming down slowly. Cyclone in neighbouring states, arrival from Maharashtra is the reason for the decrease of price. However, there is hope of retaining average price as North Karnataka has grown small onion more this year. There is big demand for this small onion, which is tastier than its bigger counterparts from Malaysia, Singapore and Pakistan. As Maharashtra has grown bigger onion, its arrival cannot compete with our produce," he said.
Umesha Pujar, who runs an eatery in Vidyanagar, said that he had to replace onions, which cost Rs 7-8 per piece, with cabbage.
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