Bumper crop and decline in export of vegetables crashed its prices in local retail markets substantially. Retail prices of onions has registered a sharp decline and offered for sale at Rs 12 to Rs 15 per kg depending on its quality. The retailers said that onion and tomato are available in the wholesale market in huge quantity whereas its demand is low as compared to supply, which has pushed the prices down.
The wholesale rate of the quality onion at present is Rs 4 to Rs 5 per kg and low quality at Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg respectively. Sellers are compelled to sell their products in the market at lower rates keeping in view the vegetables short span of life.
In January this year onion prices in retail stand at Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kg. Similarly prices price of tomato, which were at Rs 90 to Rs 110 per kg in January 2011 declined to Rs 10 to 12 per kg today Prices of lady figure declined from Rs 90 per kg to Rs 40 per kg, garlic from Rs 400 per kg to Rs 200 per kg during the same period.
However potato price registered slight increase from Rs 15 to Rs 20 per kg to Rs 20 to Rs 30 per kg in last few days. The prices are further expected to go down in near future as in the next few months, Balochistan crop, which is also expected to be "bumper," would start arriving in the market.