STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The consumers in Guwahati feel the pinch because of the ‘rise, that too, uneven’ in the prices of onion at various markets in the city. For the past three days, onion has been sold at various markets here at Rs 70, Rs 75 and Rs 68 per kg.
The situation prompted State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Phani Bhushan Choudhury to hold a meeting with top officials of the department and members of the Onion and Potato Merchant Association at Dispur on Wednesday.
The Minister made it a point at the meeting that uneven prices of onion at various markets in the city cannot be accepted. After a thorough study of onion prices at sources and also at the wholesale markets in Guwahati, the Minister asked the merchants to ensure that the retailers sell onion at a uniform price of Rs 66 per kg. The Potato and Onion Merchant Association accepted the retail price of the commodity fixed by the minister. On their part, the members of the merchant association said that heavy rains lashed Nasik for the past three days, leading to the rise in prices of the commodity there itself. Nasik is one of the major sources from where onion comes to Assam.
After their meeting with the Minister, members of the Potato and Onion Merchant Association told the media outside that it would take time for the situation of onion stock to be stable at Nasik.
Meanwhile, there are allegations that lower-rung officials of the Food and Civil Supplies department have not been punctual in monitoring onion prices in various markets in the State, leading to the uneven rise in the prices of the commodity. Since onion is an essential commodity, some also point their accusing fingers at the deputy commissioners for not being able to maintain an even price for the commodity.
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