Maharashtra: Onion growers fume over ‘exclusion’ from state high-level meeting on bulb prices

On Tuesday, Bharne posted about a high-level meeting at the Mantralaya, which was attended by senior officials of the department of marketing. In his post, the minister announced that efforts would be taken to ensure onion prices are stabilized. Also, the department of marketing has been asked to take measures to ensure proper import export policy as well as ensure need-based plantation is done.

Dighole said they got information about the meeting from the Facebook post of the minister. “We farmers have been protesting against the drop in onion prices for long but the government has turned a blind eye to our problems. Similarly, former Union Minister Sharad Pawar could have conveyed a meeting in Delhi about this but his leaders continued to make empty statements,” he said.

Onion growers in the state have been protesting against the drop in prices of the kitchen staple. As against the production of cost of Rs 2,000/quintal, the bulb is now trading in most wholesale markets at Rs 1,200-1,300/quintal. Traders attributed the drop in prices due to a glut in the domestic market. The central government’s decision to offload 3 lakh tonnes it had procured has also added to the price slide.

Dighole said while policies are formulated, farmers are kept out of most discussions. “When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Nashik, we were put under house arrest. They are scared that we will create trouble,” he said.