Fearing price rise becoming an issue during Delhi assembly polls, the Centre has decided to create a buffer stock of potato and onion to check prices in Delhi-NCR region.
Fearing price rise becoming an issue during Delhi assembly polls, the Centre has decided to create a buffer stock of potato and onion to check prices in Delhi-NCR region. The move will also help check vegetable prices during the critical months of July-November, when prices typically go up due to tight supply and adverse weather conditions for storage.
The Union agriculture ministry has given the task of procurement of potato and onion two key kitchen staples to a government body Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).
“SFAC has been given a revolving fund of Rs 50 crore to create a strategic buffer stock of potato and onion to discipline the Delhi-NCR market,” a senior agriculture ministry official said.
Initially, SFAC will procure these two commodities to check price rise in the Delhi-NCR market.
During the 1998 Delhi assembly polls, soaring onion prices had become a sensitive issue that led to BJP’s defeat.
