Maharashtra: No onion auctions at most APMCs in Nashik as traders continue agitation

A meeting of representatives of traders-exporters and farmers, chaired by district collector Jalaj Sharma, was held in Nashik city, but the traders were firm on their decision not to take part in auctions

Nashik: Onion auctions at most Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, including the Lasalgaon APMC which is known as Asia’s biggest wholesale onion market, remained closed for the second day on Tuesday as the traders continued to protest the hike in the export duty on the kitchen staple.

A meeting of representatives of traders-exporters and farmers, chaired by district collector Jalaj Sharma, was held in Nashik city, but the traders were firm on their decision not to take part in auctions.

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Until the thousands of tonnes of onions stranded at Mumbai and other ports and on the Bangladesh border go forward without the payment of export duty, auctions will remain closed, they said.

Auctions were, however, conducted at the Vinchur sub-committee of Lasalgaon APMC where the prices ranged from Rs 800 (minimum) to Rs 2,360 (maximum) and Rs 2,150 average per quintal.

On August 19, the central government imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onion to restrict outward shipments and boost the local availability amid apprehension about the kharif output and signs of firming of retail prices. It also decided to increase the size of the buffer stock of onion to 5 lakh tonnes for 2023-24 from the earlier 3 lakh tonnes which has already been procured.

“The government suddenly took the decision of increasing the export duty to 40 per cent. The decision was taken without any intimation and without giving any time….Around 30,000 tonnes of onions are lying in ports and at borders. Exporters will bear an excessive burden due to the export duty. Ultimately, traders and onion farmers will have to bear the brunt of it….as it may lead to a crashing of onion prices,” said Nashik District Onion Traders Association president Khandu Deore.

District sub-registrar Faiyyaz Mulani informed that letters have been issued to APMCs in the district, asking them to resume auctions from Wednesday, and take strict action against the traders who do not participate in them and even cancel their licenses if necessary.

Meanwhile, as per the decision of the Union government to purchase two lakh tonnes of additional onions for its buffer stock at Rs 2,410 per quintal, purchase of onions started at a Pimpalgaon Baswant centre by NAFED. Union minister Dr Bharti Pawar inaugurated the centre.

“We had demanded that purchase of onions should be started immediately. I had also given a letter in this regard. As a result, the government took the decision today,” Dr Pawar said while appealing to the traders and farmers to resume the auctions at the APMCs in the district.

Various political parties took part in a protest against the increase in the export duty at the Chandwad APMC. Former MLA Shirish Kotwal, AMPC chairperson Sanjay Jadhav and others participated in it. A memorandum of demands was submitted to Chandwad tehsildar Mandar Kulkarni.

“If the decision is not rolled back, we will stage a Rasta Roko on Mumbai-Agra highway on Thursday,” Kotwal said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also handed over a memorandum addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to the collector, making the same demand.

Swabhimani Republican Party also staged a sit-in agitation at Vinchur Chaufuli (Square) at Yeola on the issue.