With surplus onion in markets across the country, there is finally some relief for the consumers as prices of the bulb fell by about Rs1,000-Rs1,500 per quintal on Monday.
With surplus onion in markets across the country, there is finally some relief for the consumers as prices of the bulb fell by about Rs1,000-Rs1,500 per quintal on Monday. However, it irked farmers so much that they shut down the wholesale market at Lasalgaon in Nashik in the afternoon and demanded lifting of the ongoing export ban.
The Lasalgaon Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) wholesale market opened on Monday with onions fetching around Rs2,000-Rs2,400 per quintal. However, by afternoon, prices at the auction collapsed to about Rs1,100. Enraged by the sudden fall, farmers shut trade. At nearby Manmad, farmers held a rasta roko at Malegaon Chaufuli, blocking traffic for some time.
Onion prices also plunged at the Vashi APMC, as about 200 trucks arrived with the produce on Monday. The vegetable was priced in the range of Rs50-Rs250 per 10kg in the market and the rates are expected to drop further on Tuesday.
“Onions of different qualities have been coming into the market from Nasik and Ahmednagar and other states like Gujarat, along with imports from Pakistan. The prices are likely to dip further as more supply is expected,” Said Mahadev Raut, a trader from Vashi APMC.
The plunge was reflected in the retail market as well. According to Kamlesh Gupta, a retailer from Vashi, onion prices dropped by Rs10 per kg in the consumer market.
Auctions at Lasalgaon APMC resumed late in the evening after a dialogue between APMC members, traders and the farmers.
“Trade has resumed, but unless the export ban is lifted, the low-price situation will not improve. The supply to the market is very good as onions have arrived from Gujarat and southern states. In Ahmednagar and Lasalgaon, the arrival was of about 1,000 trucks. We now have more onion than the domestic demand,” stated Nitin Jain, a trader from Lasalgaon.
After onion prices shot up a few days ago, the central government had imposed a ban on export. About 15-20 days later, the late kharif crop, which was delayed, harvested a good yield. “We can understand the rage of the farmer as he is the one who has been suffering. In spite of an improved yield of the late kharif, his financial stress has not reduced. The government should think seriously of lifting the export ban,” stated Balasaheb Kshirsagar, vice chairman, APMC, Lasalgaon.
“Unseasonal rains destroyed everything and increased cost of further production. Now that we have some crop to sell, the prices have fallen,” said Ranjit Gunjal, a farmer from Vinchur.
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