The recent decision to allow Gujarat to sell white onions to The Indian government has caused anger among the onion farmers of Maharashtra particularly in Nashik. They are now confronting challenges, such as the lower market prices and an export ban for onions. From December 2023 onwards the ban for exporting onions has led to substantial financial loss to the farmers in Maharashtra’s onion industry and forced them to market their products at a lower price. In Nashik’s APMC market, the median selling price of onions per 100kg is between 1,100 and 1,300. This is a price that farmers consider inadequate.

The decision that allowed Gujarat to sell 2000 tonnes of onion whites has increased the problems faced by the farmers of Maharashtra. This move by officials from the Department of Commerce Directorate General of Foreign Trade is strongly criticized by the president of the Maharashtra State Onion Farmer Association, Bharat Dighole. He viewed it as an unjust move towards Maharashtra farmers and claimed that this would also lower prices in international markets. Maharashtra is well-known as a producer of red onion as well as Nashik as a major cultivating zone.

(Rs 100 x EUR1.10 [ Rs 100 = EUR1.10

Source: lokmattimes.com