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 Originally Posted by MSG85
I don't know enough about the subject to form much of an educated opinion either way about futures trading, but comparing oil and onions seems bizarre to me.
One is a seasonal, expireable, and optional product whose supply can heavily be affected by weather. The other has a supply chain that is strictly controlled and manipulated by its producers and is the lifeblood of every modern economy in the world.
Also, just glancing at the chart I think I need to know more about the source of the numbers. The fact that the onions spike once a year, every year, in the first quarter of every year, may have more to do with winter in the norther hemisphere than pricing efficiency provided by the futures market.
I' think seeing a chart of onions vs a few similar root vegetables would be a more accurate and useful comparison.
Finally, there is a reason the onions are not on the commodities market any more:
Time Magazine 1956: "COMMODITIES: Odorous Onions"
You're right actually, my mistake, this graph is basically bullshit just because the Onion is such a sensitive crop. This is a more relevant one.

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Reading the article you posted, it doesn't really make sense. If you look at the price of onions during this time you can see the price is actually fluctuating about the same when there was a futures market for Onions. Where is this abnormal dip that clearly shows manipulation?
The funny thing is the same thing is happening in India right now, except this time blaming a spike in prices on traders. LOL.
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