Onion crop  Climate Change sores price of eye-watering onions by 500 per cent in India

 

Climate Change spoiled the production of onions, one of India’s most important vegetables, causing shortages and raised wholesale price rises up almost 500 per cent.

Ever changing erratic weather with extreme heat followed by heavy excess rainfall from the annual monsoon season has led to a sharp fall in production in India’s rural key growing areas.

Onions are a core ingredient in most dishes across India’s rich regional cuisines as millions of people spend over 50 per cent of their household income on food and onion related strife has seen downfall of more than one government since 1980.

Wholesale price in New Delhi and Mumbai for onions rose to Rs 1, 908 ( $26.50)  per 40 kg, the government has been releasing national buffer stocks of 50, 000 tonnes into the market and in late September  to quell rising onion prices as India’s economy rate has fallen to a six-year low, slashing income of rural farmers and urban customers.

India has two annual onion harvests, the first was affected by severe drought and the second damaged by heavy rains.