Mangaluru: Over 50 tonnes of onions, that had been imported from Turkey, were unloaded at the city’s old port on Tuesday, December 3. A kilogram of the Turkish onions is said to include just two to three onions as they are enormous in size. Their prices fluctuated between Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 per quintal and vegetable-sellers predicted that the rate would climb up to Rs 150 per kg by the next day, according to a report by DHNS.
However, the newly-imported onions do not come bearing good news as domestic prices of the vegetable are expected to remain at Rs 120 per kg.
Meanwhile, the price hike in onions is having far-reaching consequences. Due to the staggering rates, consumers have stopped being generous while using onions in the kitchen and there is now, a significant drop in demand. This, in turn, has impacted the onion distribution network in the district as labourers and truck drivers are struggling to earn their daily wages.
Speaking to DHNS, Bunder Shramikara Sangha General Secretary said, “Middlemen are fixing the price of onion. No measures have been taken to curtail the middlemen’s activities. In the past, the price of onions brought from Pune and Hubballi was fixed based on the transport cost. Now, however, the price is rising continuously.”
In response to the rising onion prices, the Bunder Shramikara Sangha will stage a protest on December 5 at 9.30 am.