Dikshit to discuss onion prices crisis with officials
By IANSTuesday, December 21, 2010
NEW DELHI - Worried over the sky-rocketing prices of onions, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will Tuesday evening chair a high-level meeting to decide on ways to tackle the crisis.
The meeting will be attended by Food and Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf besides officials from the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED), an official said.
“The meeting will decide on the measures to deal with the sudden jump in onion prices in local markets,” the official said, adding that the government may act tough on hoarders and also on black-marketing of onions.
Onions are currently selling between Rs.70-80 a kg in local markets.
To deal with sharp spike in onion prices, the central government Monday banned exports of the commodity till Jan 15.
“We have decided to suspend issuing no-objection certificate (NOC) to onion exporters till Jan 15. A decision has also been taken to double the minimum export price to $1,200 per tonne for those NOCs which are yet to be implemented,” a food ministry official had said.
The official also suspected speculative elements to be behind the price rise.
