In an effort to curb the rising prices of onions ahead of the festive season, the government has launched the 'Kanda Express,' a special train that will transport 1,600 tonnes of onions from Maharashtra to Delhi. This initiative, announced by Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare, marks the first time railways are being used to transport onions from buffer stock.
The Kanda Express departed from Lasalgaon railway station in Maharashtra and is expected to arrive at Kishanganj railway station in Delhi on October 20. The government aims to stabilize onion prices in the capital, where retail prices have soared to ₹75 per kg. In response, onions from the buffer stock are being sold at a subsidized rate of ₹35 per kg in Delhi.
However the president of Maharashtra Onion Producer Farmers Association President Bharat Dighole has a different opinion on this. He said, "This is a bogus initiative. Onions have been exported like this for many years. The government’s focus seems to be on controlling the onion prices, but why is there so much fuss about onions? As farmers, we were getting reasonable prices for our produce. This buffer stock being transported by railways is sold in various cities, but such transport is just a waste of government money. Why is the government so scared about onion prices? There is no need for such measures to control prices. The real beneficiaries of this whole process are the middlemen, not the farmers or consumers. Ultimately, neither farmers nor consumers get satisfactory prices. We, as farmers, urge the government to design a strategy that benefits both farmers and consumers. In Nashik, onion prices range from ₹60 to ₹80, and we question why this price difference exists—it’s because of the intermediaries. The government treats onion prices as an issue, but they should see it as an opportunity."
Similar plans are underway to supply onions to other regions, including North-Eastern states like Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur, as well as cities like Lucknow and Varanasi. Talks are also being held with logistics company Concorde to ensure efficient and secure transport using sealed containers, reducing losses in transit.
The use of rail transport is expected to be cost-effective. Transporting one trainload of onions (equivalent to 56 trucks) from Nashik to Delhi costs ₹70.20 lakh by rail, compared to ₹84 lakh by road, resulting in savings of ₹13.80 lakh per train.
Additionally, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has ramped up measures to control prices by increasing mobile vans selling subsidized onions from 600 to 1,000 before Diwali. Out of the 4.7 lakh tonnes of onion in the buffer stock, 91,960 tonnes have already been allocated to the National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). With these efforts and the expected inflow of fresh produce from Maharashtra, the government remains optimistic that prices will stabilize.
The retail initiative includes sales through mobile vans, NCCF and NAFED shops, e-commerce platforms, and Mother Dairy outlets, ensuring wide access to affordable onions for consumers.