The first “Kanda Express”, carrying 453.65 tonnes of onions from Nashik, reached Delhi on Friday as the Centre stepped up efforts to increase supplies and bring down sharply rising retail onion prices in the national capital. The dedicated 21-wagon train is part of the government's strategy to transport onion buffer stocks directly to major consumption centres and ease pressure on consumers. The onions brought to Delhi will be sold at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg across Delhi-NCR, with a portion of the consignment also being transported to Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Jammu. The move comes after a significant increase in onion prices in Delhi, prompting the government to deploy its buffer stock to improve availability and moderate retail rates.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said the release of additional buffer stock is expected to help bring down retail onion prices in Delhi within a week. The Centre currently holds around 1.21 lakh tonnes of onions under the Price Stabilisation Fund, which is used to intervene in the market when prices of essential commodities rise sharply. The scale of the recent price increase has been significant. Retail onion prices in Delhi reached Rs 62 per kg on Thursday, representing an 88 per cent increase compared with Rs 33 per kg during the same period a year earlier. The all-India average retail price was lower at Rs 46.58 per kg, highlighting the sharper rise experienced by consumers in the national capital.

Despite the increase in prices, Khare said overall onion availability remains comfortable. Onion production for 2025-26 is estimated at 307.37 lakh tonnes, broadly comparable with the previous year's output. The government therefore expects that targeted releases from its buffer stock, combined with available domestic production, will help address the current price pressure. The Kanda Express initiative is part of the Centre's broader effort to use rail transportation to move onions efficiently from producing regions to areas with high consumption. The programme was launched in 2024-25 and has expanded substantially since then, reflecting the government's increasing reliance on dedicated rail consignments to manage the supply of essential commodities.

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During 2024-25, the initiative operated 14 rakes carrying nearly 12,000 tonnes of onions. In 2025-26, the programme has expanded to 86 rakes transporting around 88,000 tonnes to 16 cities. The latest consignment from Nashik represents another step in that expansion, with Delhi receiving a substantial quantity at a time when local retail prices have climbed considerably. Nashik is one of India's major onion-producing regions, making it an important source for supplies to consumption centres across the country. Moving large quantities by rail allows the government to transport buffer stock over long distances while supporting targeted interventions in markets experiencing elevated prices.

The subsidised sale price of Rs 35 per kg is significantly below the current retail price reported in Delhi. By releasing onions at this rate, authorities aim to increase the quantity available to consumers and create downward pressure on market prices. The government expects the impact to become visible in Delhi's retail market within the coming week. The intervention also comes ahead of continued consumer demand for onions, an essential kitchen staple whose prices can have a noticeable impact on household food budgets. Sudden price increases can particularly affect lower-income consumers, making timely government intervention important when retail rates rise sharply.

With 453.65 tonnes now reaching Delhi and additional supplies headed to other northern cities, the Centre is attempting to address the immediate price pressure through targeted distribution. Officials have maintained that overall production and availability remain adequate, suggesting that the current increase is being treated primarily as a supply and market-management issue rather than an indication of a major nationwide shortage. The success of the intervention will ultimately depend on how quickly the additional stock reaches consumers and whether retail prices respond to the increased availability. For now, the Centre is relying on its sizeable buffer stock and the expanding Kanda Express network to improve supplies and bring onion prices in Delhi-NCR closer to more manageable levels.

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