India Launches Kanda Express to Curb Rising Onion Prices

The Government of India launched the Kanda Express on August 24, 2026, deploying dedicated railway rakes to transport bulk onion stocks from Nashik, Maharashtra, to major consumption centers including Delhi, Chennai, Madurai, Ernakulam, and Guwahati. The intervention follows a sharp rise in retail prices, with the all-India average reaching Rs 43.53 per kg, a 59 percent increase year-on-year. In Delhi, prices peaked at Rs 65 per kg, while Chennai saw rates of Rs 58 per kg.

To counter suspected cartelization and speculation, Commerce Secretary Nidhi Khare announced that buffer stocks of 1.21 lakh tonnes will be sold at a subsidized rate of Rs 35 per kg. The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation are tasked with managing these sales. While officials maintain that sufficient stocks of onions and sugar exist to meet demand, market analysts attribute the price surge to a 5% to 7% decline in kharif onion output in Maharashtra and increased festive demand.

The initiative has drawn criticism from the opposition. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the government of failing to protect the poor and middle class from an inflation bomb, claiming that prices in the Nashik market rose approximately 76% in a single month. The government previously utilized the Kanda Express system in October 2024 to achieve similar market stabilization.