New Delhi, June 8 -- New Delhi: The government has fixed a 72% 'cost recovery rate' for onion procurement this year, said two people directly involved in the process, as the Centre moves to sign up private firms for the procurement, storage and transportation of the kitchen staple.

This recovery rate is 7 percentage points higher than last year's 65% for rabi onion.

Cost recovery is the quantity of good-quality onions that remain fit for sale after storage and handling. A 72% rate means that out of every 100 kg of onions procured, 72 kg must remain marketable after accounting for losses due to rotting, sprouting, or shrinkage during storage.

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