NASHIK, Jan 20: In an apparent bid to consolidate their following among farmers, local politicians from various parties have decried the ban on onion exports by the central government, on the grounds that the ban deprived farmers of a good price for their produce.The Shetkari Sanghatana held a meeting at Niphad yesterday and threatened to launch an agitation if the central government failed to lift the ban on exports. District chief of the Sanghatana Mohan Gunjal, pointed out that during the onion glut six months ago, prices had fallen below Rs 100 per quintal and nobody had come to the rescue of the farmers.He said that the situation had improved and another glut was in the offing with the arrival of the late kharif crop and the export ban would make matters worse for farmers. The Sanghatana condemned the ban and the proposal to import onions. It has decided to mob meetings of all political parties in the district on the eve of the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) farmers' wing has also threatened to launch an agitation to focus on the plight of the onion-growers. District chief Dr Baburao Pawar has urged the central government to lift the ban on onion exports immediately in the interest of farmers. He has pointed out that after the glut six months ago, onion growers were getting a better price for their produce and the ban would cause a glut with the arrival of the fresh crop. The BJP MLA from Chandwad Jaichand Kesliwal has also demanded the lifting of the ban and threatened to launch an agitation.The chairman of the Nashik Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Devidas Pingale (Congress), has also called for the lifting of the ban, pointing out that the farmers' interests were neglected during the glut six months ago. He said the onion yield had fallen from about 200 quintals per hectare to 40 quintals per hectare. Local Congress leader and a director of the Nashik district central cooperative bank, Shirish Kotwal also decried the ban.Incidentally, the centre had banned onion exports on January 12 to control domestic prices which had reached a record high of Rs 1,751 per quintal at the Lasalgaon onion marketyard. A similar ban had been imposed by the then Congress regime in November 1994 when prices had reached Rs 1,200 per quintal.
