New Delhi: The Centre has so far procured 25,000 tonnes of onion grown in the 2023 kharif season for maintaining a buffer stock, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said on Monday. The government is procuring onion to maintain a buffer stock and use it for market intervention to boost domestic availability and keep prices in check.

The government has raised the buffer stock target to 7 lakh tonnes for the 2023-24 fiscal, against the actual stock of 3 lakh tonnes last year. According to the Secretary, the government had procured 5 lakh tonnes from last year's rabi season and is purchasing 2 lakh tonnes of kharif onion as the buffer stock target has been raised.