Wholesale onion prices drop 36 pct on arrivals

LASALGAON (Reuters)- Onion prices in India fell 36 percent on Monday after supplies from the new arrivals season rose amid weak demand, prompting farmers to boycott auction at a few markets, government officials and dealers said.

Average onion prices at Lasalgaon, the country\'s largest wholesale market in Maharashtra, were at 1,400 rupees ($30.6) per 100 kg.

\"There was a sharp rise in arrivals from late summer-sown crop. Arrival pressure will remain there in the market for next two weeks,\" said a senior official with Lasalgaon Agriculture Producing Marketing Committee.

\"After a sharp fall in the morning session, farmers boycotted auction in the afternoon,\" the official said. Apart from Lasalgaon, Manmad--the other key market in the state--also witnessed boycotts.

Maharashtra is the biggest onion producer in the country. In December, a multi-fold rise in prices of onion--a key ingredient of food in the country --had pushed up food inflation to one-year peak, triggering criticism against a government that is already battling corruption scandals.

Onion supply in the country had nosedived after unseasonal rains during October-November damaged standing crop in the top producing states such as Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat.


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