**Summary:**
On September 4, 2025, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Pralhad Joshi, initiated the retail sale of subsidized onions at Rs 24 per kg in Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad. This action involves deploying mobile vans from NCCF, NAFED, and Kendriya Bhandar. This initiative is part of a calibrated release of onions from the government buffer stock, intended to stabilize prices and control food inflation. The government aims to expand this program nationwide based on onion price trends.
In July 2025, retail inflation was 1.55%, attributed to a decline in food inflation. The government procured 3.00 lakh tonnes of onion through NCCF and NAFED from farmers in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, with direct payments to their accounts. Onion production this year is estimated at 307.71 lakh tonnes, 27% higher than the previous year, with exports remaining unrestricted.
The Department monitors daily prices of 38 commodities, including onions, from 574 centers. An integrated system monitors procurement, storage, and disposal using technology and verification of farmer land records via the Maharashtra government's emahabhumi portal, with payments made through Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts. Officers from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Food Public Distribution, and National Test House regularly verify onion stocks in storage warehouses.
As of September 4, 2025, distribution channels include:
* **Delhi NCR:** NCCF (5 own stationary outlets, 19 stationary outlets of distribution partners, 5 mobile vans), NAFED (12 own stationary outlets, 10 mobile vans), Kendriya Bhandar (108 own stationary outlets, 2 mobile vans).
* **Mumbai:** NAFED (10 mobile vans).
* **Ahmedabad:** NAFED (10 mobile vans).
NAFED is implementing a dedicated billing application with Track and Trace software that automates retail and van sales, generates sales bills via a mobile application, provides SMS notifications to beneficiaries, and collects feedback with a toll-free customer care number for queries, grievances, and complaints.
Key Entities Referenced
Shri Pralhad Joshi: Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution New and Renewable Energy, who launched the retail sale of onions.
NCCF: National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India, an agency involved in the retail sale and procurement of onions.
NAFED: National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India, an agency involved in the retail sale, procurement and distribution of onions.
Kendriya Bhandar: A chain of consumer cooperative stores in India, involved in the retail sale of onions.
Delhi NCR: National Capital Region of Delhi, one of the locations where retail sale of onions was initiated.
Mumbai: City in Maharashtra, one of the locations where retail sale of onions was initiated.
Ahmedabad: City in Gujarat, one of the locations where retail sale of onions was initiated.
Maharashtra: State in India, one of the major rabi onion producing areas.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Flags Off
Vans Selling Subsidized Onion at Rs 24 per kg
Government of India is Committed Towards Welfare
of Farmers and Consumers: Shri Pralhad Joshi
Retail Sale of Onions Starts in Delhi, Mumbai and
Ahmedabad today
Posted On: 04 SEP 2025 1:20PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy, Shri
Pralhad Joshi launched the retail sale of onions at Rs.24 per kg by flagging off mobile vans of NCCF,
NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar deployed for the sale here, today. The event marked the commencement of
calibrated and targeted release of onions from the government buffer to make the essential vegetable available
to consumers at affordable prices.
Shri Joshi said that keeping food inflation under control is a priority of Government of India, and various
direct interventions through price stabilisation measures have played important role in bringing down
inflation rate in recent month. The general retail inflation for July, 2025 at 1.55%, lowest in nearly eight
years, is attributed to substantial decline in food inflation. The calibrated and targeted disposal of onions from
the buffer is an integral part of government’s efforts to control food inflation and maintain stable price
regime.
The targeted disposal of onion is being started in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad today with retail
sale through outlets and mobile vans of NCCF, NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar and also through
distribution partners of NAFED and NCCF. The coverage will be widened, deepened, intensified
and diversified across the country as per the trend in onion prices. The Department is monitoring
the daily prices of 38 commodities, including onion, reported from 574 centres across the country.
The daily price data and the comparative trends constitute key inputs for decisions on the quantum
and destinations for release of onions from the buffer.
Onion production in this year is estimated at 307.71 lakh tonnes which is about 27% higher than
previous year. No duty or restrictions are imposed on the export of onion and the pace of export is
steady with 1.06 lakh tonnes in July and 1.09 lakh tonnes exported in August, 2025.
Considering the availability and price scenario, the government procured 3.00 lakh tonnes onion for
price stabilisation buffer through NCCF and NAFED. The onions were procured from
farmers/farmer’s federations in major rabi onion producing areas in Maharashtra, Gujarat and
Madhya Pradesh, and payments for the onions have been made through direct transfer to the
farmers accounts. An integrated system for monitoring of procurement, storage and disposal has
been adopted in onion operation this year by deploying technology capturing activities across all the
stages of operations.
In order to ensure transparency in onion procurement, genuineness of farmers and their land records havebeen verified through e-mahabhumi, the official portal of the Maharashtra government. Payments to farmers
are made through their Adhaar seeded bank accounts. To ensure quantity and quality, regular visits are
undertaken by the officers from Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Food & Public Distribution
and National Test House to verify the stock of onions in storage warehouses. Payments to farmers are made
for quantities which have been moved to chawls and duly verified.
Retail disposal of onions starting from today in Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The number of
stationary outlets and mobile vans deployed by NCCF, NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar as on today are given
below:
Agency Channels Delhi-NCR Mumbai Ahmedabad
Own stationary outlets 5 - -
NCCF
Stationary outlets of distribution
19 1 -
partners
Mobile vans 5 7
NAFED Own stationary outlets 12 - -
Mobile vans 10 10 10
Kendriya Own stationary outlets 108 - -
Bhandar
Mobile vans 2 - -
Retail disposal of onions has been the focus for this year buffer disposal for effective management of
prices across the state. NAFED, for the first time, is implementing a dedicated billing application along
with their existing Track and Trace software.
The digital billing application has an easy and user-friendly interface, ensuring ease of access
and operation. The application will be installed in mobile phones of operators of all mobile vans,
enabling beneficiary identity verification through SMS/ Aadhaar/ photograph.
The software and billing application has following functionalities:
Automate retail and vans sales operations
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Enable Mobile van users to generate sales bills to customers via mobile application.
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Provide SMS notifications to beneficiaries on each transaction
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Collect feedback from beneficiaries through SMS. The SMS will also communicate about
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dedicated customer care with a toll-free number to address all queries/ grievances/ complaints
raised by beneficiaries/consumers.
SCREENSHOT OF DIGITAL BILLING APPLICATION DASHBOARD
Orders Dashboard Billing DashboardSales Dashboard for Bharat Band SMS to the Customer***
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(Release ID: 2163638)