Onion prices have started showing signs of easing as arrival of the product has significantly increased in the country's major wholesale markets.

Wholesale markets of Lasalgaon, Pimpalgaon and Delhi saw arrival of nearly 22,000 quintals of onion on Monday.

Lasalgaon wholesale market in Maharashtra received 9,000 quintals of onion yesterday, nearly double of the quantity that arrived at the market on Monday last week. It may be noted here that Lasalgaon is at Asia's biggest wholesale onion market.

Average wholesale price of onion at Lasalgaon slipped from Rs 4,700 per quintal on Monday last week to Rs 3,251 per quintal on Monday this week.

Wholesale markets in Delhi, Mumbai, Indore and Agra also witnessed considerable decreases in onion prices. In response, retail prices slipped by Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kilogram in the national cpital.

A government official said the scarcity was the creation of hoarders. Speaking on the topic, the official added, "Now, they also know that new crop will be available in the market. They might have released the stock."

But, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said he couldn't say when onion prices would become normal as heavy rain had hit onion crops very hard in key growing states.