New Delhi, Aug. 19 -- The Union government will deploy its entire onion buffer stock through retail sales this year after procuring only about 120,000 tonnes - well short of its 200,000-tonne target - marking a departure from the past two years when it intervened in both wholesale and retail markets to contain prices, officials aware of the matter said.

The shortfall follows an unusually difficult procurement season, during which the Centre was forced to raise the Minimum Assured Procurement Price (MAPP) six times as firm market prices discouraged farmers from selling to government agencies. Officials also cited operational challenges involving procurement and storage agencies that slowed purchases.

With a smaller buffer available, the ...