Agartala: To improve onion availability and stabilise prices during the festive season, the department of consumer affairs has launched a rail-based distribution network in Tripura, introducing the Kanda Express service to Agartala with about 440 tonnes of buffer onions, state civil supplies minister Sushanta Chowdhury said on Saturday.The shipment, facilitated through the Centre’s Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), is expected to arrive in Agartala on Sunday. The initiative aims to strengthen the supply chain, increase onion stocks in local markets and ensure that consumers can buy the essential commodity at reasonable prices during the festive season, he said.“Introducing the Kanda Express to Tripura signifies a significant advancement in the Centre’s initiatives to enhance the distribution of essential commodities across the northeast,” Chowdhury said.After buffer onion supplies were transported to Assam through the dedicated rail service, the latest initiative will extend the benefits of rail transport to Tripura by providing an additional route for moving essential food items into the state.Consumers in seven of Tripura’s eight districts — Dhalai, South Tripura, Khowai, Unakoti, West Tripura, Gomati and Sepahijala — are expected to benefit from the initiative. By combining rail transport with road distribution, govt aims to improve the movement of onion supplies and delivery to major consumption centres, the minister said.Officials said more than 2,800 tonnes of buffer onions had already been sent to the northeast through two Kanda Express rakes and 44 truckloads. The expanded distribution network is intended to supplement existing market supplies, improve regional access and reduce price volatility during the festive season.Onion prices in wholesale markets across the country have begun to decline with the arrival of fresh kharif crops. The average mandi price nationwide fell from about Rs 3,600 per quintal in September to roughly Rs 3,300 per quintal in Oct, officials said.The arrival of the first Kanda Express shipment in Agartala is expected to improve onion supplies in Tripura. Officials said the initiative would strengthen supply chains in the northeast and support price stability during a period of heightened consumer demand.
