Hyderabad: Onions are all set to leave consumers teary-eyed once again as the prices are soaring in states on which Telangana is heavily dependent for supplies. Telangana lacks adequate onion production and imports the bulb from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
Onion prices in the state have increased from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 35 per kg in a week in the retail market and is set to touch price range of Rs 50-Rs 70 per kg by March.
In the ongoing Rabi (Yasangi) season, farmers in TS have opted for paddy, groundnut, maize and wheat but not onions.
As per statistics available with the marketing department, Telangana state consumes 5.08 lakh metric tonnes of onions every year or 42,400 metric tonnes per month. Of this, the state grows less than 2.5 lakh metric tonnes, that too in the Kharif season.
It procures the rest of the onions from other states, and any fluctuation in prices in those states immediately impacts Telangana.
The agriculture and…