Onion prices soar ₹20 a kg in Andhra Pradesh amid supply crunch

People queue up to buy onions at a Rythu Bazar in Visakhapatnam on Monday. | Photo Credit: V. Raju VISAKHAPATNAMKitchen budgets across Andhra Pradesh have taken a severe hit, with onion prices rising by more than ₹20 a kg compared with the corresponding period last month, amid a sharp fall in supplies across the State.Andhra Pradesh requires an estimated 5,000 tonnes of onions a day to meet demand, but arrivals in local markets have fallen to about 2,500 tonnes. In Visakhapatnam, daily arrivals at the four main wholesale markets have declined to 100-125 tonnes against the normal requirement of around 250 tonnes.The immediate reason for the supply crunch is the absence of the local Kurnool variety.Farmers in the Kurnool region were forced to abandon onion cultivation this season owing to a severe monsoon deficit and switched to alternative commercial crops such as cotton. The Kurnool onion crop cycle normally begins in August and ends in September, making the region an important source of supply for neighbouring districts as well as Odisha and West Bengal.The State has been facing a substantial rainfall deficit during the current southwest monsoon. According to data from the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Information and Management System (APWRIMS) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the State recorded a rainfall deficit of about 45% to 54% during the season. Rayalaseema, including Kurnool, experienced prolonged dry spells, with seasonal rainfall falling more than 50% below normal.With local stocks unavailable, traders are now dependent on supplies from other States.Palem Satyanarayana, a wholesale onion trader at the Gnanapuram Wholesale Market, the largest wholesale market in Visakhapatnam, said traders were currently depending on onions from Maharashtra, mainly from Sholapur and adjoining districts.“Due to severe rainfall scarcity, the Kurnool crop is not available sufficiently for supplies to other areas. We are presently getting the Maharashtra variety, cultivated in Sholapur and other districts,” he said.The supply squeeze has pushed up retail prices. G. Prasad, Estate Officer at the Gopalapatnam Rythu Bazar, said first-quality onions were being sold at ₹53 a kg and the second variety at ₹48 a kg, about ₹20 higher than last month.“We expect the Bangalore variety to arrive in October,” Mr. Prasad said.However, traders said there was little immediate relief in sight. Vunna Govinda Rao, a senior onion trader at Poorna Market in Visakhapatnam, said inquiries with major trading centres in Bengaluru had yielded little hope, as inadequate rainfall in Karnataka had affected onion yields and left little surplus for dispatch to Andhra Pradesh.Meteorologists said Karnataka had also experienced dry conditions, affecting onion sowing and crop development in parts of southern interior Karnataka.With onion production affected in key growing regions, supplies have tightened and consumers are bearing the brunt of the resulting price rise. Traders said retail prices could remain elevated in the coming weeks unless arrivals from other States improve. Published - September 07, 2026 06:37 pm IST