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Govt dispatches buffer onions to Tripura via Kanda Express
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Wednesday, 21 October, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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The Department of Consumer Affairs is expanding the distribution of buffer onions under the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to improve market availability and keep prices affordable ahead of the festive season. In a first, the government has dispatched approximately 440 metric tonnes (MT) of onions to Agartala, Tripura, through Kanda Express.
The initiative marks a further expansion of the government’s onion distribution network in the North-East, following earlier rail-based supplies to Assam. The move aims to strengthen supply chains, improve last-mile distribution and ensure the availability of onions at affordable prices across regional consumption centres.
The latest intervention is expected to enhance market coverage in seven of Tripura’s eight districts: Dhalai, South Tripura, Khowai, Unakoti, West Tripura, Gomati and Sepahijala.
So far, two Kanda Express rail consignments carrying 840 MT and 452 MT of onions, respectively, along with 44 truck consignments transporting a total of 1,513.46 MT, have supplied buffer onions across the North-East. Distribution has covered locations in Assam, Tripura and Nagaland, including Guwahati, Kamrup, Gomati, Sepahijala, Dimapur, Kohima, Niuland and Chumoukedima. The expansion of rail and road transportation is intended to improve the reach of buffer stocks and supplement supplies in key consumption markets.
Fresh Kharif onion arrivals have contributed to a moderation in wholesale prices across major markets. The all-India average mandi price declined from approximately Rs3,600 per quintal in September to around Rs3,300 per quintal in October.
The calibrated release of onions from buffer stocks is also helping supplement market supplies, improve availability and moderate retail prices. The Department of Consumer Affairs is continuing to monitor market conditions and adjust interventions according to prevailing supply and price trends.
Over the past two weeks, 211 cities have recorded a decline of Rs1–Rs13 per kg in retail onion prices. The reduction has been reported across several states and Union Territories, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, among others. In Assam, around 12 centres have reported retail price declines ranging from Rs1 to Rs8 per kg in recent weeks.
The difference between Assam’s average retail onion prices and the national average has narrowed considerably over the past two years. Two years ago, the average retail price in Assam was Rs61.96 per kg, compared with the all-India average of Rs54.13 per kg, a difference of Rs7.83 per kg.
Currently, Assam’s average retail price stands at Rs54.30 per kg, against the national average of Rs 53.07 per kg, reducing the gap to Rs1.23 per kg. This indicates greater alignment between prices in Assam and the national average.
The government continues to monitor onion prices, market arrivals and supply conditions across the country. Disposal of onions from the PSF buffer is guided by prevailing market conditions, price movements and regional availability requirements.
Further releases will be undertaken as necessary to maintain adequate supplies, improve consumer access and help curb excessive price volatility, particularly during periods of heightened seasonal demand.
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