Government sells 4,000 tonnes of onion buffer stock

Key facts

• The government sold about 4,000 tonnes of buffer onions across 17 cities in the first 10 days of a subsidised sale aimed at curbing prices.
• The Centre's buffer stock for 2026 stands at 1.21 lakh tonnes of onions, held through NCCF and Nafed.
• Onions are being sold at a subsidised rate of ₹35 per kg in select price-sensitive cities.
• Bulk consignments have reached Delhi and Chennai via the Kanda Express, with a third rake being loaded for Guwahati.
• NCCF alone has sold 1,500 tonnes of buffer onions so far.
• The subsidised sale has led to a ₹2-3 per kg fall in onion prices.
• The average all-India retail price of onions stood at ₹50.79 per kg, compared with ₹48.50 per kg when the subsidised sale was launched on August 28.
• On September 5, onions retailed at ₹58 per kg in Delhi, ₹53 in Mumbai, ₹63 in Chennai and ₹40 in Ranchi, with average wholesale price at ₹42.79 per kg.