India Runs Onion Express Trains As Prices Surge 88%

The initiative, known as the Kanda Express, was first introduced in 2024 and has been significantly expanded this year, with a target buffer stock of 200,000 tonnes — more than double last year's figure. Onions are a politically sensitive commodity in India, where price swings have previously sparked protests, strained neighborly relations, and even influenced elections. Onion is a very politically sensitive product, said Milind Murugkar, a food policy researcher in Maharashtra, India's onion-growing heartland.