The Tamil Nadu Cooperative Consumer Federation (TNCCF) has clarified that around 400 tonnes of rotten, spoilt onions at the Korukkupet railway goods shed did not belong to it, but to the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). The TNCCF had cancelled orders issued for 400 tonnes of onions on October 31, 2026, stating that the vegetables did not meet quality criteria, including a radius of minimum 45 mm.

As a price control mechanism, a total of 2,380.32 tonnes of onions were procured in three phases and sold via cooperative supermarkets and 8,914 fair price shops from September 3. However, as TNCCF officials had found the onions were of poor quality at Maharashtra, they decided to cancel the order. Around 25% of the onions were rotten, had sprouted or were affected by fungus; and 50% did not meet the requisite size standards.