Kanda Express Carrying 440 MT of PSF Buffer Onions to Reach Agartala for the First Time

Key facts

• The Department of Consumer Affairs is dispatching the first-ever Kanda Express to Agartala, Tripura, carrying approximately 440 MT of buffer onions under the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF), expected to arrive by 18th October 2026.
• So far, two Kanda Express rail rakes carrying 840 MT and 452 MT of onions, plus 44 truck consignments totalling 1,513.46 MT, have supplied buffer onions across the North-East, covering locations in Assam, Tripura and Nagaland.
• The Agartala intervention is expected to enhance market coverage across seven of Tripura's eight districts: Dhalai, South Tripura, Khowai, Unakoti, West Tripura, Gomati and Sepahijala.
• The All-India average onion mandi price declined from about ₹3,600 per quintal in September to around ₹3,300 per quintal in October with fresh Kharif arrivals.
• Over the past two weeks, 211 cities reported retail onion price declines of ₹1–₹13 per kg; in Assam, around 12 centres recorded declines of ₹1 to ₹8 per kg.
• Assam's average retail onion price gap with the All-India average narrowed from ₹7.83 per kg two years ago (₹61.96 vs ₹54.13) to ₹1.23 per kg currently (₹54.30 vs ₹53.07).
• Disposal of onions from the PSF buffer stock is guided by prevailing market conditions, price trends and availability requirements, with further releases undertaken as required.