Nafed''s mobile vans to sell onions at Rs 35/kg from tomorrow

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Agri cooperative Nafed will sellonion at subsidised rates of Rs 35 a kg through mobile vans inthe National Capital Region, a scheme that will be inauguratedtomorrow by Agriculture Secretary P K Basu.

The move is aimed at providing relief to common man fromhigh prices of onion, which still continue to rule at Rs 60 akg in the retail market.

"The cooperative will start selling onions at cheaperrate via mobile vans from tomorrow. The scheme will beinaugurated by Agriculture Secretary tomorrow.," NafedExecutive Director Praveen Jain told PTI.

The government has asked the cooperative, which currentlyhas five outlets, to set up more outlets including mobile vansfor sale of onions at Rs 35 a kg in Delhi and NCR.

Besides, Nafed has been told to procure onion fromMaharashtra and Gujarat, from where new arrivals haveincreased at lower prices.

High onion prices have fuelled food inflation to over 18per cent for the week ended December 25.

Last week, the government had agreed to compensate 30 percent of losses that Nafed would suffer in selling onion atcheaper rates.