State Trading Organisation (STO) has imported onions and will sell them to wholesalers at controlled rates.

STO today said that due to the ban on export of onions from India, the price of onions in the domestic market has gone up. The price of onions in the domestic market have between MVR 800 and MVR 900 per sack.

STO has already started importing enough onions in the domestic market to control the price of onions.

"We have imported 4,500 sacks of onions as the first consignment. Imported onions will also be sold to the general public by general businesses. Onions are released to businesses on the condition not to increase the selling price beyond the maximum price fixed by the STO. We have appealed to the people to sell onions at prices not exceeding MVR 20 per kg ," the STO said in a statement.

The aim is to stabilise the market and sto will supply onions to the domestic market till the supply shortage issue of onions is resolved and the market prices are under control, the company said.