<p><strong>NASHIK</strong>: To prevent the repeat of this year’s onion crisis, the Centre has decided to create a buffer stock of onion, the key kitchen staple. They have decided to buy 1.50 lakh metric tonnes of onion through NAFED and SMPS with a view to address onion shortage and control onion prices. As an additional 50,000 metric tonnes of onion will be purchased for the upcoming year, the central government will have higher buffer stock.</p>.<p>The onion will be purchased through NAFED to avoid the import of onion in case there is a rise in onion prices. The common public, farmers, and the government were facing many difficulties following the rise in onion prices. The government has already conducted measures to prevent such situation in the future. </p><p>The onion from buffer stock will come to market when there will be a shortage of onion in the market. This year, onion prices fell sharply due to a 26% fall in Kharif and late Kharif (summer) production due to late monsoon and later untimely rains in key growing states, especially Maharashtra and Karnataka. </p><p>To check rising prices, the government took several measures to boost domestic availability, including ban on exports, stock limits on traders, sale of onion at subsidised rates from its buffer stock and imports. Already, the government has exhausted its buffer stock of onion which was disposed of at a subsidised rate in the local market. Now, it is selling imported ones.</p>
