Farmers didn’t gain from rise in onion prices

The onino price rise has left citizens teary-eyed as the onion prices in wholesale markets have touched Rs 100 per Kg and the prices are expected to soar till February.

Retail price of onions nearing Rs 100 per kilogram in some states. (Photo: PTI)

The onino price rise has left citizens teary-eyed as the onion prices in wholesale markets have touched Rs 100 per Kg and the prices are expected to soar till February. India Today TV went to different whole sale onion markets throughout the onion producing state to get a firsthand account from onion merchants.

Swapnil Belhkar, one of the merchant at Gultekdi whole sale market said, “On any given day, Pune market gets 70 to 80 trucks of onion from adjoining districts as well as some trucks arrive from across the state like Karnataka. But since last 10 to 15 days, this market has been getting only 20 trucks of onion.”

Experts say that due to the shortage of onion crop, the prices have shot up and touched Rs 100 in the whole

sale markets. But not all onion farmers have benefited from the price rise. Four out of five farmers complained that their onion crop did not fetch appropriate price because of the poor quality. While a farmer from Shirur tehsil , Babanrao Thorat had a broad smile as his onion produce as he sold onion Rs 100 per kg.

The Director of Nafed Nasik region Nana Saheb Patil explained the reason of soaring. He said ‘the monthly onion consumption of India is 15 lakh metric tons. Which means daily requirement of India is 50 thousand metric tons of onion. As of now the daily supply is just 10 to 12 % of the requirement and this is the reason that the prices have touched Rs100 /- mark in the whole sale markets.’

Meanwhile, the Centre on Monday asked state governments to crackdown on traders hoarding onions, create buffer stocks and distribute imported edible bulb at a reasonable rate in order to provide relief to common man from soaring prices. The Centre has already banned onion exports

Source: India Today
Link:indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/farmers-didn-t-gain-rise-onion-prices-1624591-2019-12-03