Onion farmers in Telangana face severe losses as wholesale prices fall below production costs. Despite bumper output and high retail prices, smallholders struggle with mounting debts, transport costs, and no minimum support price, prompting urgent calls for government intervention.
Owing to the export ban, falling onion prices and agrarian crisis is a key poll issue in the area where BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) leaders are facing farmers' ire during the poll campaign.
With one kg of bulbs costing around Rs. 80, not just households, but hoteliers, caterers, and even street food vendors are also pushed into a tight spot
According to the CCTV evidence the police have, the constable was caught on camera snatching a bag of onions from a parked car at a warehouse in Dhubri town
This will be replicated in two cities of Punjab in the coming days, she said and added that the cooperative is also trying to wholesale onion through NCDFI and Bhim portals.
Sharad Pawar has said the 40 per cent duty on onion export must be revoked, and also claimed that the Union government might impose restrictions on sugar exports too
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
In anticipation of significant price increases, the Centre imposed a 40% duty on onion exports until December 31, effective immediately, to enhance the vegetable's domestic availability.
The Nashik District Onion Traders Association had given the call to not take part in onion auctions indefinitely till the Centre rolls back its decision, sources said.
The buffer stock is maintained under the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to meet any exigencies, if rates go up significantly during the lean supply season.
