Bitter bite: Amid rising prices of rice, onion, paneer, vegetables and other essentials, hotels are likely to increase menu prices.
| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN
With deficient rainfall in Karnataka and the festive season around the corner, onion prices have risen from ₹30-45 per kg in the wholesale market and from ₹50 to ₹60-65 per kg in the retail market. Some traders predict that if demand continues to rise and supply remains limited, onion prices could touch ₹100 per kg by the Ganesha festival.Speaking to The Hindu, Ravishankar, secretary of the Bengaluru Onion and Potato Merchants Association, said, “During the kharif season, which begins in June and July, farmers in Chitradurga, Gadag, Haveri, Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapura sow onion seeds. Unfortunately, they did not get any yield due to deficient rainfall. As a result, onion supplies from these districts failed to reach local markets.”Mr. Ravishankar added, “At present, markets across the State are receiving onion supplies from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Farmers in these States would have harvested onions in April and May and stored the produce to sell later at better prices in Karnataka.”He noted that every year, onions from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh arrive in Karnataka. ”The storage facilities provided by the government in Maharashtra for onion-growing farmers are better than the ones in Karnataka. Some farmers have their private facilities to store onions,” he said, adding, “It is not just the prices of onions; even transportation costs add to the increase in overall prices.”Rg.”Rain failureMeanwhile, Aravind Yeligar from Bagalkot said, “Onions require adequate water, though they are not entirely a water-intensive crop. If rains fail, borewells too run dry, especially in the semi-arid regions of North Karnataka. As a result, there was a complete crop failure for onions sown in June and July.“Farmers in Bagalkot have now sown onion seeds again after receiving rainfall in August. We are waiting to see the results, and the crop is expected to be harvested in November,” he said.Hotels hitAmid rising prices of rice, onion, paneer, vegetables and other essentials, hotels are likely to increase menu prices. G.K. Shetty, president of the Karnataka State Hotels Association, said, “Most hotels registered with us are likely to increase prices from the beginning or middle of September, depending on the prevailing prices of various food items. The rise in rice and onion prices has hit hotels the hardest.” Published - August 28, 2026 06:01 am IST
