The big-onions price in the market has now exceeded Rs. 650 per kg.
As a result, the demand is now on the decline, said president of the Manning Market traders association H.M. Upasena.
According to him, the quality of the B-onions in the market is questionable.
India's export ban
The price increase is attributed to an export ban imposed by India, the world’s biggest exporter of the commodity.
The ban is effective until 31 March 2024 as the country is experiencing a decrease in production.
Sri Lanka needs 280,000 mt of B-onions annually, but the local production is only 125,000 mt.
But, the 2023 harvest was as low as 7,851 mt due to the rain and a shortage and high price of fertilizer.
Hot topic on social media
Meanwhile, the soaring prices of B-onions were highlighted by many users on social media platforms.