Bhubaneswar, Aug. 20: Onion prices have shot up again in the state with the tuber selling at Rs 55 per kg in the retail market, a hike of around Rs 15. On July 27, the price had risen sharply from Rs 24 to Rs 40.

The hike follows a rise in the wholesale price of onion at Lasalgaon and Manmad depots in the Nasik district of Maharashtra, the main supplier of onion to Odisha. The wholesale price at these depots is Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,200 for ordinary variety, whereas it is Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,000 for the finer varieties.

With transportation charges of Rs 500 per quintal, the wholesale price in the city reaches Rs 4,700 for the regular variety. Retail prices have gone up accordingly with Rs 55 per kg for the newly harvested crop and Rs 60 per kg for the old dry stock.

The Ainginia Wholesalers' Association office-bearers, however, told The Telegraph that onion of different varieties should sell for a maximum of Rs 50 per kg, including the transportation charges. "We always advise retailers to demand receipts from wholesalers, so that action can be taken against blackmarketeers," said association president Shakti Mishra.

However, general secretary of the Unit-I Daily Market Traders' Association Gayadhar Swain said: "The price quoted by the wholesalers of Ainginia is for low-grade onions. For dry finer and bigger bulbs, the price is high."

Market intelligence officer Deepak Satapathy said: "The sudden hike in the price at several mandis in Nasik was due to less availability following a series of holidays, including the Independence Day. During this period the markets remained closed in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka region putting the onion wholesalers in a peculiar situation here."

According to the data available with the website of the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection under the ministry of agriculture and farmers' welfare, while the onion prices for normal and finer varieties at Manmad mandi was Rs 4,200 and Rs 4,900, respectively, yesterday, at Lasalgaon it was between Rs 4,500 and Rs 5,000.

"Adding the transportation cost and loss of around 2.5kg to 3kg from a bag of 50kg, the retailers have to charge a little more, and this is according to the market reality. In other cities also the price is rising," Satapathy said.