A crisis in India to make you cry

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A shortage of onions.

The onion is a staple vegetable for the poor, indispensable to many Indian cuisines and recipes, from spicy curries to tangy relishes.

"In Maharashtra, if there are no vegetables or you can't afford to buy vegetables, people eat 'kanda bhakari' [onion with bread]," explains food historian Dr Mohseena Mukadam.

Heavy rains and flooding have caused a shortage. And it’s become political when some producers were stopped from exporting the vegetable.

"The government is quick to act when onion prices rise. Why don't they act as swiftly when prices fall?" asked Vikas Darekar, an onion farmer in Maharashtra. He said the government should buy onions from farmers at a "fair price".

More @ Why onions make India politicians cry

 

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For crying out loud: Delhi onion prices soar 40% in one week due to unseasonal rainfall

It is no longer just the fumes and pollution that are making Delhiites cry, as onion prices in the greater metropolitan area have spiked by some 40 percent in just one week amid unforeseen supply shortages.

Onion prices have reached Rs 60-80 per kg ($0.84-$1.12) from averages of just Rs 55 on October 31. The price spikes have been attributed to a supply-side shortage triggered by unseasonal rainfall which severely damaged crop centers in Maharashtra.

Onions appear to be a really big deal for Indian poor. So the government tells them to eat carrots which are plentiful. They get a huge No!

And they live in this:

More @ For crying out loud: Delhi onion prices soar 40% in one week due to unseasonal rainfall

Half of India's population adheres to a vegetarian diet, usually because of Buddhist, Hindu or Jain religious values. Like the United States, India is a large country with many different climates and geographical characteristics. Different fruits and vegetables are produced in different climates, so a vast array of produce is used in Indian food. Tomatoes, onions, cucumber, eggplant and bananas are all commonly consumed. Legumes, like lentils and chickpeas, are also an important staple of meals. A common preparation of lentils is dhal, a soupy dish served over rice.

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