Kanda Express To Bring Rs 35/Kg Onions To Delhi-NCR From Maharashtra

As onion prices continue to climb, the Centre has decided to sell onions at Rs 35 per kg in Delhi-NCR, with supplies expected to arrive on special Kanda Express trains from Maharashtra's Nashik, sources told NDTV.

Sources further said that the National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF) will begin selling onions at a lower rate in Delhi and nearby areas later this week.

According to sources, NCCF will initially start sales through 10 of its retail outlets in Delhi and surrounding regions. In addition, onions will also be sold at Rs 35 per kg through 105 Bharat Brand retail stores operated by NCCF.

The distribution of subsidised onions is expected to begin once the special Kanda Express freight trains carrying onions from Nashik reach Delhi.

According to sources, the first Kanda Express train is likely to arrive in the national capital by Wednesday or Thursday.

Five Major Cities Identified

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said onion supplies from the buffer stock would initially be sent to five major consumption centres.

"Initially, the onion will be supplied to five major consumption centres, namely Chennai, Madurai, Delhi, Ernakulam and Guwahati, with additional destinations to be included subsequently based on emerging market requirements," Khare told news agency PTI.

Onion Prices See Sharp Increase

The move comes after a sharp increase in onion prices over the past few days.

The all-India average retail price of onion stood at Rs 43.53 per kg on August 24, up 59 per cent from Rs 27.37 per kg during the same period last year.

The average wholesale price rose 68 per cent year-on-year to Rs 35.58 per kg, compared with Rs 21.23 per kg a year earlier.

Among major cities, retail onion prices on Monday were recorded at Rs 60 per kg in Chennai, up from Rs 33 a year ago. In Delhi, onions were selling at Rs 55 per kg compared with Rs 35 last year, while prices in Kolkata stood at Rs 53 per kg.

Buffer Stock To Stabilise Market

The Centre maintains an onion buffer stock as a strategic reserve to help control prices when supplies tighten and market rates surge.

The stock is procured mainly through agencies such as NCCF and NAFED under the Price Stabilisation Fund. During periods of seasonal shortages or sharp price increases, the onions are released into the market in a calibrated manner to improve availability and moderate prices.

Onion prices typically rise during August and September because of festive demand, weather-related disruptions, supply-chain movements and changing demand patterns.

To manage such seasonal spikes, the Consumer Affairs Ministry releases onions from the buffer stock through bulk mandi supplies and targeted retail sales in major consumption centres. Officials said this strategy has been followed consistently in recent years, with the timing, quantity and destination of supplies decided after continuous monitoring of prices and market conditions across states.