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Trolley weighing scale: how to weigh onion bags without unloading them
Roll the loaded trolley onto a trolley weighing scale with ramps, read the weight, and take off the weight of the empty trolley, so the onion bags never leave the trolley. The trolley and its load together must stay within the scale’s capacity. The HSCo PLCHQIR internal ramp scale has ramps built into the platform and a tare key, in capacities from 500 kg to 3,000 kg [5].
The Economic Times reported on 10 November 2026 that an e-auction company had run auctions that sold more than 3,200 tonnes of onions for NAFED and NCCF, in markets including Delhi NCR, Guwahati, Ranchi and Kolkata [1, 2]. On 26 August 2026 the government announced that buffer onions would be sold at ₹35 a kg through NCCF and NAFED outlets and mobile vans [4, 3]. Onions are traded by weight, so a trader who lifts auction stock needs to check that weight at the godown.
Can a trolley weighing scale weigh onion bags without unloading them?
It can, if the trolley fits on the platform and its wheels can roll on without a step. The PLCHQIR has ramps built into both sides of a 1200 × 1200 mm chequered MS platform, so a hand trolley, pallet truck or cart rolls straight on and off [5].
How do you take the trolley’s own weight off the reading?
Weigh the empty trolley first and press tare, or write its weight down. The PLCHQIR’s tare works up to its full capacity [5], but tare does not add capacity: the trolley and the bags together must stay within the capacity you buy. What is left after you take off the trolley weight is the weight of the onions with their sacks.
Weight of the onion bags = weight of the loaded trolley − weight of the empty trolley
If you pay for onions without the sacks, take off the sacks too, estimated as the number of bags × the average weight of one empty sack. Weigh a bundle of empty sacks of the same type, size and condition as in the lot, large enough to weigh many times your scale’s accuracy, and divide by their number. Sacks differ in weight, so the onion weight is an estimate.
- Switch the scale on with the platform empty and let the display settle at zero.
- Roll the empty trolley on, with all its wheels on the platform and nothing touching the floor. Note its weight, then press tare.
- Load the onion bags, roll the trolley back onto the platform and read the weight. If the display no longer holds the tare, take off the trolley weight you noted.
- Write the trolley weight, the weight of the bags and the number of bags in your weighing book for every lot.
- Tare each trolley on its own. Two trolleys that look the same need not weigh the same.
How much does it cost to forget the trolley weight?
The table uses ₹35 a kg as an example rate, the retail price the government announced for buffer onions on 26 August 2026 [4]. At that rate, every kilogram of trolley billed as onion costs ₹35. Use your own purchase rate and weigh your own trolley.
| Empty trolley weighs | Billed as onions at ₹35 a kg | Over 10 trolley loads |
|---|---|---|
| 25 kg | ₹875 | ₹8,750 |
| 50 kg | ₹1,750 | ₹17,500 |
| 100 kg | ₹3,500 | ₹35,000 |
The PLCHQIR page lists an accuracy of ±1 kg to ±5 kg, depending on capacity [5]. At ₹35 a kg, that is ±₹35 to ±₹175 on one reading. If you weigh the empty and the loaded trolley as two readings and subtract them, the two errors can add up, so the worst case doubles to ±₹70 to ±₹350, against ₹875 for a missed 25 kg trolley. Ask for the accuracy of the exact capacity you order.
Does a trolley weighing scale need government stamping?
Yes, if you buy or sell by its reading. Section 24 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 requires a weight or measure used in a transaction to be verified before use [8]. Rule 27(1) of the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, as amended in 2021, requires it to be verified and stamped, then re-verified and stamped at periodical intervals [11]. For an electronic platform scale used in trade, Rule 27(2)(c) sets the normal interval at 12 months [9]. The PLCHQIR is Legal Metrology stamped [5], and the Double Ramp Scale comes with one year of government stamping and the original certificate [6]. Our guide to government stamping explains how stamping works.
Which HSCo trolley weighing scale fits an onion godown?
Choose by how the bags move. A trolley or pallet truck needs a platform it can roll onto, such as one with ramps. Bags carried on by hand can go on a raised platform.
The PLCHQIR suits hand trolleys, pallet trucks and carts inside the godown [5]. A tractor trolley or a truck goes on a weighbridge, which our logistics and transport scales page covers.
Internal Ramp Scale PLCHQIR: ramps built into both sides of a 1200 × 1200 mm chequered MS platform, 500 kg to 3,000 kg, tare, LED indicator on a stand and battery backup. For loaded trolleys and pallet trucks [5].- Double Ramp Scale: a ramp at each end of a low MS chequered platform, so a trolley rolls on at one end and off at the other. 200, 300, 500 or 1,000 kg, with tare and a rechargeable battery [6].
- PLCHQB platform scale: 500 kg or 1,000 kg on a chequered MS platform, 50 g or 100 g readability, with displays at the front and back so the buyer sees the weight too. For bags carried on by hand [7].
More scales for farm produce and grain stores are on our weighing scales for agriculture page. Tell us the weight of your heaviest loaded trolley and the size of its base: call +91-7045922250 or write to hsc@hindustanscale.com.
Frequently asked questions
How do I weigh a loaded trolley without unloading it?
Use a trolley weighing scale with ramps and a capacity above the weight of the loaded trolley. Note the empty trolley’s weight and press tare, then roll the loaded trolley on and read the weight of the bagged goods. If the tare has cleared, subtract the trolley weight you noted. If you pay for the goods alone, also take off the estimated sack weight. The HSCo PLCHQIR has ramps built in, from 500 kg to 3,000 kg [5].
What is tare weight on a trolley scale?
Tare weight is the weight of the empty trolley, crate, sack or container. A trolley scale with a tare key holds that weight back. If the trolley tare is missed, a 50 kg trolley is billed as 50 kg of produce: ₹1,750 at an example rate of ₹35 a kg, the retail price the government announced for buffer onions on 26 August 2026 [4].
Does a ramp weighing scale used to buy onions need stamping?
Yes. A ramp weighing scale used to buy or sell must be verified before use under Section 24 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 [8], and stamped under Rule 27(1) of the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, as amended in 2021 [11]. For an electronic platform scale used in trade, the normal re-verification interval is 12 months under Rule 27(2)(c) [9]. The HSCo Double Ramp Scale comes with one year of government stamping [6].
Sources
- The Economic Times, “mjunction facilitates sale of 3,200 tonnes of onions through NAFED, NCCF auctions” (economictimes.indiatimes.com, 10 November 2026).
- ForPressRelease (press release of mjunction services limited), “mjunction enables transparent eAuctions of onions and sugar for government agencies” (forpressrelease.com, 10 November 2026). Company press release; not independent of source 1. Not linked: only official sites may be linked.
- Akashvani News (News On Air), “Centre begins targeted release of onions from buffer stocks to ensure adequate availability & check seasonal price rise” (newsonair.gov.in, 27 August 2026).
- Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, “Adequate Onion Availability; Government Undertakes Calibrated and Targeted Release of Buffer Stocks to Moderate Seasonal Price Pressures” (pib.gov.in, 26 August 2026).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “Internal Ramp Scale PLCHQIR – Built-in Ramps, 500 kg to 3,000 kg” (hindustanscale.com).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “Double Ramp Scale – External Ramp Platform Scale, 200 kg to 1,000 kg, for Wheelchairs and Trolleys” (hindustanscale.com).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “PLCHQB Platform Scale – Chequered MS Plate, 500 / 1,000 kg, Dual Display” (hindustanscale.com).
- India Code, “The Legal Metrology Act, 2009, Section 24” (indiacode.nic.in). Official PDF on India Code; the site was timing out on 10 November 2026, so it is not linked.
- Legal Metrology Department, Meghalaya, “The Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, Rule 27” (megweights.gov.in).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “What Is Government Stamping And Why Is It So Important?” (hindustanscale.com).
- Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, “Legal Metrology (General) (Amendment) Rules, 2021, G.S.R. 149(E)” (consumeraffairs.gov.in, 3 March 2021).