Onion-Ing India

The sky-rocketing prices of onion in Indian markets these days have activated rookie "netas". They offer no solutions, just shed crocodile tears on the plight of common man without knowing what the ground realities are . Ever time whenever there is a onion crisis, even govt keep watching. Onion's prices, this time, have surpassed the 2013 level, when it was being sold as high as Rs. 100 Kg. Six years on in 2019, its selling as high as Rs. 130 per kg yet no relief. In almost all states across India, onion is now fetching Rs 90-100 minimum for a kilo. The price is even higher in south Indian states, where prices have even shot to Rs 130 per kilo. In Delhi and Chandigarh, onion prices are retailing at Rs 70-90 per kilo.

Onion is the archetypal of Indian cooking and some of our favorite dishes can't be relished without it. Its important can be seen from the fact that high prices of onion saw governments crashing in year 1980, 1998 and 2010.

Not only its kitchen value, Onion has many healthy qualities. Its rich in sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for many of health-promoting effects. It is rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin, plus vitamin C, and numerous flavonoids, like quercetin. Onions is effective against the common cold, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.It contains anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant components such as quercetin.

Despite repeated onion crisis, governments and policy makers haven't scratched their head to find a permanent solution to prevent the shortages. Its a mismatch of demand and supply and can be managed easily. Look at production and consumption data:

India is the world’s second largest producer of onions-China being first followed by US, Turkey and Pakistan. Country produces nearly 23.5 million tonnes of onion (2018 figure) annually, but consumes only about 14 million tonnes. Around 2 million tonnes of onion is exported leaving around 7 million as surplus. So India produces much more onion than it consumes. Its a problem of managing the plenty. The shortage of onion can be easily averted if govt stocks at least 1.5 to 2 lkah tonnes of onion. There are always early signs of imminent onion crisis. The crisis is caused mainly by errant rainfall in the onion producing regions and can be foreseen.

Both union and states have vast govt machinery to monitor the mismatch between demand and supply. There is Agriculture ministry, Food and Supply ministry, ICAR, hosts of agriculture universities and state agriculture bodies. yet all of these can't foresee the impending crisis. Then what for are they meant? Its a total mismanagement and people have to suffer for their misdoings.