Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister flags off vans selling subsidised onions at Rs 24 per kg

New Delhi [India], September 4 (ANI): Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, launched the retail sale of onions at Rs. 24 per kg by flagging off mobile vans of NCCF, NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar deployed for the sale in New Delhi on Thursday.
The event marked the commencement of the calibrated and targeted release of onions from the government buffer, making the essential vegetable available to consumers at affordable prices.
Joshi stated that keeping food inflation under control is a priority for the Government of India, and various direct interventions through price stabilisation measures have played a crucial role in bringing down the inflation rate in recent months. The general retail inflation for July 2025 at 1.55%, the lowest in nearly eight years, and is attributed to a substantial decline in food inflation. The calibrated and targeted disposal of onions from the buffer is an integral part of the government's efforts to control food inflation and maintain a stable price regime.
The targeted disposal of onions is being started in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad today with retail sale through outlets and mobile vans of NCCF, NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar and also through distribution partners of NAFED and NCCF. The coverage will be widened, deepened, intensified, and diversified across the country in line with the trend in onion prices. The Department is monitoring the daily prices of 38 commodities, including onion, reported from 574 centres across the country. The daily price data and comparative trends constitute key inputs for decisions on the quantity and destinations for releasing onions from the buffer.
Onion production this year is estimated at 307.71 lakh tonnes, which is about 27% higher than the previous year. No duty or restrictions are imposed on the export of onions, and the pace of export is steady, with 1.06 lakh tonnes in July and 1.09 lakh tonnes exported in August 2025.
Considering the availability and price scenario, the government procured 3.00 lakh tonnes of onions for price stabilisation buffer through NCCF and NAFED. The onions were procured from farmers/farmer's federations in major rabi onion producing areas in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and payments for the onions have been made through direct transfer to the farmers' accounts. An integrated system for monitoring procurement, storage, and disposal has been adopted in onion operations this year by deploying technology that captures activities across all stages of operations.
To ensure transparency in onion procurement, the genuineness of farmers and their land records has been verified through e-Mahabhoomi, the official portal of the Maharashtra government. Payments to farmers are made through their Adhaar-seeded bank accounts. To ensure quantity and quality, officers from the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Food & Public Distribution, and the National Test House conduct regular visits to verify the stock of onions in storage warehouses. Payments to farmers are made for quantities which have been moved to chawls and duly verified.
Retail disposal of onions starting from today in Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Retail disposal of onions has been the focus of this year's buffer disposal for effective price management across the state. NAFED, for the first time, is implementing a dedicated billing application along with its existing Track and Trace software.
The digital billing application features an intuitive and user-friendly interface, ensuring seamless access and operation. The application will be installed in the mobile phones of operators of all mobile vans, enabling beneficiary identity verification through SMS/ Aadhaar/ photograph.
The software and billing application have the following functionalities: automate retail and van sales operations, enable Mobile van users to generate sales bills for customers via the mobile application, provide SMS notifications to beneficiaries for each transaction, and collect feedback from beneficiaries through SMS.
The SMS will also communicate dedicated customer care information, including a toll-free number, to address all queries/ grievances/ complaints raised by beneficiaries/consumers. (ANI)