The sharp increase in onion prices is a cause of concern as the kitchen staple is now priced at Rs 70-80 per kilograms in Mumbai and traders feel that the prices may go up further in the days to come. The cost of the vegetable went up by 33 per cent price last week and over 70 per cent in the month of September. The price rise is said to be at a four-year-high

What has caused the price rise of onions

Heavy rains in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, western Madhya Pradesh and eastern Rajasthan have led to the destruction of onion crops hitting the production quantity. Traders further said that though the supply of stored onion of the previous year's crop was sufficient in the country, supply shortage has caused the rise in prices as transportation has been affected because of heavy rains. The skyrocketing prices of onions have pushed retail markets in Mumbai to trade at Rs 60 per kilogram on reduced supply from wholesale markets.