Onion prices likely to go up further: Odisha minister

The Odisha government on Tuesday said the price of onions may further go up by Rs 6-10 per kilogram, due to rain in three supplier states. "Onion prices will go up by another Rs 6-10 as rain in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka have affected the supply of onion to Odisha," Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister R P Swain told reporters here.

Replying a question on the state government's steps to regulate the price, the minister said, it is planning to open outlets for sale of onion at a subsidised rate. He said the price of onions will come down in a fortnight once local production begins in mid-November.

Onions are being sold at Rs 60-65 per kilogram in Bhubaneswar. Meanwhile, the Odisha unit of Samajwadi Party urged the state government to take immediate steps to check the price of essential commodities in Odisha..