Delhi CM urges Centre to stop export of Onion

New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today urged the Centre to stop the export of Onions and make additional supplies of the commodity available to the state in view of a sharp rise in its prices.

In a letter to the Union Minister for Agriculture, Sharad Pawar, Ms Dikshit said that in view of a severe shortage of onions in the Capital, its export by NAFED should be stopped immediately. She also said that Delhi should be given additional supply from the surplus thus generated.

Attributing the rise in the price of onions to a sharp drop in arrivals at the various markets in Delhi, Ms Dikshit said that the arrival of Onions in Delhi since February 1 had come down by as much as 44.23 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year.

In this context, she also pointed out that Delhi had recieved just 241 tonnes of Onion today as against 731.2 tonnes recieved on February 12 last year, a decrease of nearly 500 tonnes.

The Chief Minister said that in view of the situation arising out of rise in Onion prices, the state Government would set up outlets in four markets of Delhi - Azadpur, Keshupur, Okhla and Ghazipur, where Onions would be available at Rs 16 per kg.

UNI