Mumbai:Five tonnes of onions from Egypt arrived in the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee market in Vashi on Saturday. But the prices of onions available in the markets still high ,traders say.

The quality is poorer than Indian produce.A lot depends on consumer taste.The Egyptian onions are available in the wholesale market for Rs 47 per kg whereas the average price of onions produced in India has shot up to Rs 50-55 per kg due to the persistent shortage in supply.

Traders fear prices in the wholesale market will continue to be steep for at least another month.Mumbai and the neighbouring districts need 100 trucks of onion every day.

However,the supply has reduced to 40-50 trucks following the loss of crops due to heavy rains this year.The situation has led to an unusual onion price hike in the last two months.