BENGALURU: The retail price of onion has touched Rs 100-110 per kg in Bengaluru. However, bakers and hoteliers in the city are not so worried as it’s Navratri when consumption of onion and garlic usually drops.
Also, there are hardly any orders for baked products like stuffed buns and sandwiches from offices and companies as most employees are working from home.
Hoteliers say they have stopped taking orders for onion dosas and pakodas to neutralise the impact of the price rise.
K Lokesh, president, Onion Merchants Association, said: “Most onions come from Maharashtra and north Karnataka which received heavy showers. Excessive rain is not good for onions. They tend to rot.”
One kg onion was priced at Rs 20-25 three weeks ago.
“It was Rs 11 per kilogram three months ago. Just because of rain, the rate shot up to Rs 80 in the past three days (wholesale price),” Lokesh added.
BS Bhat, a manufacturer of baked goods in the city, said: “The price spiked in the past three days only. In India, consumption of onions and garlic drops as soon as Navratri begins. Most of us who used to manufacture baked goods such as puffs, sandwiches and stuffed buns to supply to MNCs are not doing it any more. Hence, we don’t feel the burden to an extent.”
Hotels and restaurants which can’t do away with onion have also figured their way out. “We just stop preparing dishes like fritters and dosa where onion is the main ingredient. We can’t tell our regular customers to pay extra only because the cost of onions has gone up,” said Jagannath Kamat, owner of a restaurant in Bashyam Circle, Sadashivanagar.
During the pre-Covid times, he used to purchase 200kg of onions a week and now, it has come down to 140kg.
“When price increase,s instead of 10kg, we would manage with 8kg. However, we can’t completely stop using onions. It’s an important ingredient in all Indian dishes,” he added. An employee from Hopcoms said: “Whenever it rains, the price goes up. As of Thursday, it was Rs 109.”
Also, there are hardly any orders for baked products like stuffed buns and sandwiches from offices and companies as most employees are working from home.
Hoteliers say they have stopped taking orders for onion dosas and pakodas to neutralise the impact of the price rise.
K Lokesh, president, Onion Merchants Association, said: “Most onions come from Maharashtra and north Karnataka which received heavy showers. Excessive rain is not good for onions. They tend to rot.”
One kg onion was priced at Rs 20-25 three weeks ago.
“It was Rs 11 per kilogram three months ago. Just because of rain, the rate shot up to Rs 80 in the past three days (wholesale price),” Lokesh added.
BS Bhat, a manufacturer of baked goods in the city, said: “The price spiked in the past three days only. In India, consumption of onions and garlic drops as soon as Navratri begins. Most of us who used to manufacture baked goods such as puffs, sandwiches and stuffed buns to supply to MNCs are not doing it any more. Hence, we don’t feel the burden to an extent.”
Hotels and restaurants which can’t do away with onion have also figured their way out. “We just stop preparing dishes like fritters and dosa where onion is the main ingredient. We can’t tell our regular customers to pay extra only because the cost of onions has gone up,” said Jagannath Kamat, owner of a restaurant in Bashyam Circle, Sadashivanagar.
During the pre-Covid times, he used to purchase 200kg of onions a week and now, it has come down to 140kg.
“When price increase,s instead of 10kg, we would manage with 8kg. However, we can’t completely stop using onions. It’s an important ingredient in all Indian dishes,” he added. An employee from Hopcoms said: “Whenever it rains, the price goes up. As of Thursday, it was Rs 109.”
