Onion prices have doubled at agricultural produce marketing committee (APMC) yards over the past month. But relief for consumers may be around the corner as the new Karnataka crop will hit the markets in a fortnight, trade sources said on Friday.“Onion prices have increased by ₹1,000 in the past week. The late rabi crop was low, and 20-25 per cent of the stored onion got damaged. Any relief will likely be after the new crop comes to the market,” said Suvarna Jagtap, former chairperson of Maharashtra’s Lasalgoan APMC in Nashik, Asia’s largest onion market. Unseasonal rain, heat impact“Onion is ranging between ₹32-50 a kg. The late rabi crop harvest was affected by unseasonal rains. Then, unusual heat in May and June affected stored onions,” said Ajith Shah, president of Horticulture Produce Exporters Association (HPEA). “We hear farmers are holding back their produce and releasing them slowly to take advantage of the high price,” said M Madan Prakash, President, TN Agri Commodities Exporters’ Association. Shah seconded Prakash’s view of farmers releasing their held-up stocks slowly Prakash, whose firm exports agri products including onions, said the storage loss this year is nothing compared to a 50 per cent loss last year. “Actually, we are not competitive in the export market. Our onion is priced above $600 a tonne compared with the $450 minimum export price fixed by the Pakistan government,” he said. Surge in globa marketBesides, Pakistan’s rupee is weaker than its Indian counterpart, giving the Islamabad produce an advantage.Though export demand is less, onion prices in the global market have increased as Pakistan has had a poor crop. “It is getting onions from Iran. But domestic prices have increased in line with the rise in the global market,” said Shah.However, with prices of some origins rising to $700-800 a tonne, there are no takers, he said. After DliwaliJagtap said consumers may get relief only after Diwali when the Maharashtra kharif onion enters the market. However, Shah and Prakash said the Karnataka crop will cool the situation.“Even if Karnataka’s crop were to be 60 per cent of its usual production, it will be ample enough to tide over the situation,” said Prakash.Shah said the Karnataka crop’s condition is good and should help control the surge.However, he said farmers were going through a tough period as the input costs were rising besides incurring additional expenses for storage. “Farmers should get at least ₹30 a kg at the end of the season to meet rising input and storage costs,” he said. “There should be no shortage after the current fortnight as harvest in Karnataka is in full swing. Farmers won’t hold back as current prices are good,” said the HPEA president.All-India average pricePrakash said farmers could bring 70-80 tonnes daily to the Bengaluru market once arrivals pick up.Jagtap said the kharif onion crop could be average, “neither less nor more”. “The government will use its buffer stocks with National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (Nafed). But farmers in Maharashtra have almost run out of stocks. So relief for consumers will be slow,” she said. Data from the Price Monitoring Division of the Department of Consumer Affairs showed that the all-India average price of onion on Friday was ₹50.5, up ₹2 since last week. However, in some places it was ruling as high as ₹82 a kg. Besides, the Centre and some States have taken up the initiative of selling onions at ₹35 a kg.In its second advance estimate of horticulture crops, the Ministry of Agriculture pegged the 2025-26 crop at 30.37 million tonnes compared with 30.77 million tonnes in 2024-25, despite a 2 per cent increase in area. During the April-June period of the current fiscal, 3.71 lakh tonnes of onions valued at $82 million were exported. In the 2025-26 fiscal, 15.48 lakh tonnes valued at $397.26 million were shipped out.Published on September 4, 2026