Bhubaneswar, August 24: Onion prices have shot up across Odisha, with retail prices touching ₹60 per kg after rising by nearly ₹20 in just a week. The sudden price hike has been attributed to disruptions in supply from major onion-producing states.

The wholesale price of onions has also witnessed a sharp increase. In the past month, the price has risen from around ₹2,200 to ₹4,000 per quintal.

Odisha largely depends on supplies from Nashik in Maharashtra and Bengaluru in Karnataka. However, floods have disrupted transportation and reduced the flow of onions into the state, resulting in a supply crunch.

The state has an annual onion requirement of around six lakh tonnes, while local production remains negligible. Bhubaneswar alone requires nearly 200 tonnes of onions every day. The shortage of trucks arriving from outside the state has further worsened the situation.

In Bhubaneswar's wholesale market, onions are currently selling at around ₹40 per kg, while retailers are charging consumers as much as ₹60 per kg.

Meanwhile, the Supply Department has intensified raids at the Kuberpuri and Aiginia depots in Bhubaneswar to prevent hoarding and black marketing.

According to the traders' association, the price situation may remain difficult for another three to four months. Prices are expected to ease once the fresh onion crop from Nashik arrives during November-December.