Onion prices in West Bengal's markets had already touched 100 (rupees) a kilo. But suddenly, from Wednesday, the price rose to 150 a kilo.

That is the price being charged in Kolkata and several other markets in West Bengal; in some places it is ten less.

The West Bengal government's vegetable marketing system is selling onions at 59 a kilo, subsidising onions bought at 88. But these government shops and mobile vans can be counted on the fingers of one hand, so ordinary people are having to pay 150 or 140 for onions.

In Delhi, too, the price of onions has crossed 100.

The opposition has spoken out in parliament, saying the government cannot control onion prices.

The government says production suffered because of widespread flooding in Maharashtra, where onions are grown most. It also claims it is trying to supply onions at lower prices.

Onion growers in other areas say that only a few months ago they sold onions from the field at six to six and a half a kilo, a price that leaves farmers almost no profit.

Yet those same onions are now being hoarded and sold at sky-high prices.

Even within the administration there are doubts about how far the steady rise in wholesale and retail onion prices can be brought under control.

Source: BBC Bangla. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.