New Delhi: India has placed an order to import 11,000 metric tonnes of onion from Turkey to boost supply in the domestic market where retail prices of the commodity have surged up to Rs 120 per kg.
State-run trading company MMTC has signed a contract to import onion from Turkey and the consignment is expected to reach the country in January next year, a news report quoting sources said.
This is the second onion import order by MMTC after it entered into a deal to purchase 6,090 metric tonnes from Egypt.
The central government last month gave the approval to import 1.2 lakh tonnes of onion for boosting the domestic supply and control prices that have skyrocketed to Rs 75-120 per kg across major cities now.
The Centre has already banned exports and imposed stockholding limit on wholesalers and retailers for an indefinite period.
The first consignment of 6,090 metric tonnes of onion from Egypt will be arriving at Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Mumbai in the second week of this month. The imported onion is being offered to state governments for distribution at the rate of Rs 52-55 per kg ex-Mumbai and Rs 60 per kg ex-Delhi.