Egyptian onions enter Vashi market, worry Maharashtra growers

Vashi: The arrival of Egyptian onions at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee’s (APMC) wholesale onion-potato market in Vashi has raised concerns among Maharashtra’s onion growers, who had been hoping to benefit from relatively better prices this season.

Two containers of Egyptian onions arrived at the Vashi market on September. While locally grown onions are currently fetching around Rs 45–50 per kg in wholesale markets, imported Egyptian onions are being sold at around Rs 35–40 per kg, making them cheaper for traders.

Market sources said around 450 containers of onions imported from Egypt have arrived at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), of which consignments from two containers have reached the APMC market in Vashi.

Traders and farmers fear that a further increase in imports could boost market supply and affect demand for locally grown onions. This could, in turn, put downward pressure on domestic onion prices.

Onion growers have already faced difficulties due to adverse weather, water shortages and rising cultivation costs. The current prices have provided some relief and raised hopes of recovering production expenses while earning a reasonable return.

However, the impact of Egyptian onions on local prices will depend on the volume and duration of imports, the pace at which the consignments reach wholesale markets, and demand from traders and consumers.

Market participants are expected to closely monitor onion prices and arrivals in the coming days, as further imports could influence the market trend.