How the onion rolls: The politics and economy of India's kitchen staple
Reserve Bank of India’s governor Shaktikanta Das during the bi-monthly MPC meeting on October 6 said that onion production needs to be “watched closely.” Onions aren't the main dish in Indian kitchens but onions do add depth and complexity to dishes, playing the role of a supporting actor that steals the show.
But it’s not the first time onions and politics have their paths crossed in India. In Indian politics, onions have often been a barometer of public sentiment, capable of making or breaking governments.
The pungent politics of onions
Onions have deep-fried governments before.
The significance of onions in politics was vividly underscored when even Indira Gandhi called the central elections of 1980, the «onion election». This election marked her return to power, defeating the first non-Congress government in independent India's history.
However, within a year, the costs had surged to six rupees, a significant amount by the standards of that time.
In 1998, onion prices witnessed a sharp increase, reaching a range of Rs 40 to 50 per Kg. These soaring prices played a pivotal role in BJP’s defeat in the Delhi assembly elections.
The newly appointed Chief Minister, Sushma Swaraj, faced the brunt of public discontent and was unable to secure a return to power during that election cycle.
Similarly, in Rajasthan, BJP's Chief Minister, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, met a similar fate as a consequence of the onion price crisis that year.
India’s Onion economy
India is the second-largest onion-growing country in the world. There is a lot of demand for Indian onions in the world.
The country has exported 2,525,258.35 MT of fresh onion to the world, worth Rs. 4,522.79 crores during the year 2022-23, according to the Ministry of
. Read more on economictimes.indiatimes.com
