Addressing a news conference here on Wednesday, Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel said onions being imported from Iran and Dubai would be sold in the open market, which would help check the rising onion prices. The government, too, may sell onions at the subsidised rates.

Patel said the government had no other option but to encourage private importers to bring the vegetable from overseas, as it would take a couple of months more for the new winter crop to arrive in the market.

Efforts are also being made to check the rising prices of potatoes in the state.

Responding to a query, the chief minister said although the state government had submitted a note to the centre requesting Rs 600 crore to Gujarat from the Central Rare and Severe Calamity Funds for the cyclone affected people, not a single rupee has been paid till this date.