NEW DELHI, Nov 27 (NNN-PTI) – The first consignment of 6,090 tonnes of onions, procured by the Indian government from Egypt, will reach Mumbai port in the first week of Dec, officials said.
“Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC), placed an order for the first consignment of 6,090 MT of onions from Egypt, which will be arriving at Nhava Sheva, Mumbai,” said a statement from India’s federal ministry of food and consumer affairs.
According to the ministry, this consignment was being offered to local governments at 0.73 – 0.77 U.S. dollars pkg in Mumbai, and 0.84 U.S. dollars pkg in Delhi.
“State governments may take the stock from the location on their own, and also have the option of getting transportation facilitated through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), if required. The supply of imported onions will begin from early Dec onward.”
Last week, the Indian government approved import of 120,000 tonnes of onions, through the largest state-run foreign trade enterprise, MMTC.
Earlier this month onion prices in various Indian states, including the capital, New Delhi, skyrocketed and price of one kg was at around 1.41 U.S. dollars.
Onions which form the main ingredient of Indian meal are otherwise sold at around 29 U.S. cents a kilogram.
Officials blame late monsoon and cyclones, for impacting sowing and crop arrival from main producing centres of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, thus creating a shortage in the market.
The total demand received so far, from various state governments, for the first week is 2,265 tonnes, the statement said.– NNN-PTI