Onion farmers protest ban on exports

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 8

Onion farmers in Maharashtra are holding protests at Lasalgaon—the country’s biggest market for the bulb—for the removal of curbs on exports as prices continue to fall following the arrival of the fresh crop.

“Wholesale prices of onions have fallen from a peak of Rs 3,900 per quintal to Rs 800-900 per quintal today,” says Suvarna Jagtap, chairman of the Lasalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).

“Farmers are upset as many of them have suffered huge losses due to unseasonal rains last year are expecting to compensate from the onion crop,” Jagtap added.

The central government banned the export of onions last year as prices began to surge. Curbs on stocks that can be held in godowns have also caused prices to fall, according to traders at the Lasalgaon market.

Onion farmers, who have been holding protests at Lasalgaon for the past several days, say the government should allow exports to resume before prices fall to last year’s low of one rupee a kilogramme in the wholesale market.

The central government had even imported onions from global suppliers like Egypt to help moderate prices.

Meanwhile, the fall in wholesale prices is yet to make onions cheaper for the retail consumer.

Onions in Mumbai’s retail markets are being sold at Rs 49 per kilogramme.