New Delhi, Sept. 25 -- To curb rising onion prices ahead of the festive and wedding seasons, the Centre has for the first time expanded its price-stabilization efforts beyond major urban hubs to supply subsidized onions from its buffer stock directly to smaller towns and district markets, two government officials said.

The intervention comes as the average retail price of onions nationwide doubled year-on-year to Rs.54.38 per kg as of 25 September. Aimed at preventing urban price spikes from spilling over into semi-urban and rural areas, the initiative comes as growing social media penetration and widespread access to real-time information have blurred the gap between urban and rural markets. Food commodity prices in major cities now rap...