In Maharashtra In Maharashtra Lasalgaon the most important onion wholesale marketplace in India the prices have reached the highest level in two years. The reason for this is lower market attendance, which is due to unfavorable climate conditions as well as poor yield forecasts. Onions are priced at the price of Rs4,900 for 100 kilograms, while the market only saw 390 tonnes of the produce which is a sharp contrast to the 1,386 tonnes sold a year earlier with a price of Rs1,600 for 100 kilograms.
The shortage of onions has resulted in the rise in prices for retail especially in Delhi in which onions are sold at prices ranging from Rs60-R80 per kilogram. Based on a study conducted of the National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF) located in Nashik, Maharashtra, this price increase is predicted to last until the beginning of the new crop towards the end of October.
Weather-related issues are one of the major causes of the present situation, which affects the rabi harvest between April to May. R.P. Gupta director of NHRDF said that the quantity and quality of onions stored have been affected, resulting in delays in sowing and harvesting the kharif plant throughout Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
The production of onions in India during the period 2014-2015 was estimated to be 18.9 million tonnes. It was less than last year’s 19.4 million tonnes. The reason for this is the quality of the winter crop not being the best. At present, the country has used up about half the 4 million tonnes of storage, with loss stored in storage representing 10-15 percent.
The farmers have voiced their concerns about potential benefits from the increase in price, and have pointed out how the decision of the government to increase the export minimum price for onions. The result was an increase in sales of onions to trader. Based on Pandharinath Ahire, an onion farmer who hails from Nashik Only a tiny percentage of the farmers who have retained their inventory are making money due to the increased price.
[ Rs100 = EUR1.10 ]
Source: livemint.com