KOLKATA: Onion prices on Monday increased to Rs 70 per kg in different markets across the city owing to shortage in supply from Nasik. Last week, the price of the vegetable was hovering between Rs 50 and Rs 60 per kilogram. "From last week till date, the wholesale price of onion (per kg) has shot up by Rs 7. Last week, we were selling onion at Rs 31 per kg to the retailers. Today, we are selling onion at Rs 38 per kg to the retailers," said Uttam Mukherjee, an onion merchant at Sealdahs Koley market. In September last year, the Parliament passed a bill to remove cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, which was approved by the lower house on September 15, was approved by a voice vote in Rajya Sabha. Before the amendment of the Act, when the state had the power to take steps in this regard, the Bengal government used to hold monthly meetings to keep a check on prices of essential commodities. Lasalgaon Mandi in Nashik, Asias largest market yard for the bulb, supplies onions round the year to Bengal. This apart, Bengal also imports onions from Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. "The price of onion will now onwards start decreasing. There were less number of onion trucks coming to Bengal from Nasik leading to the rise in price," said Rabindranath Koley, member of the state governments task force on essential commodities. Last year, when the price of onion touched Rs 100, the Bengal government started selling onions at a subsidised rate from 19 Sufal Bangla stalls in the city.

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