Unseasonal rains and heat drive India's onion prices to ₹32-82/kg

India Sep 04, 2026

Onion prices have shot up across India over the past month, with rates jumping to ₹32-50 per kg, and even hitting ₹82 in some spots.

The main reason? Unseasonal rains affected the late rabi crop harvest, so 20-25% of stored onions went bad because unusual heat in May and June affected stored onions.

Karnataka onions arriving in 2 weeks

There's some good news: Karnataka's onion crop is set to reach markets in about two weeks, and Maharashtra's crop will follow after Diwali.

Experts say this should help bring prices back to normal.

For now, farmers are holding onto their onions for better rates, while exports are slow since Indian onions cost more than those from Pakistan.