Onion price fall brings tears to farmers’ eyes

Nashik: Onion and vegetable prices dropped by Saturday since the APMC markets opened up in Nashik on June 12 after an 11-day strike. Marketing experts said onion prices would remain low on account of fewer exports to Bangladesh and Pakistan, where the produce goes by road, or due to low domestic requirements.

Chandwad APMC chairman Dr Atmaram Kumbharde stated that excess onions are exported after domestic requirements are met.

“However, road exports to Bangladesh and Pakistan have become stringent and exports are down in these regions, causing abundance in the local market, which has affected the price. Secondly, this was the onion kept in the open, which is being sold. There is a huge stock of onion stored in the countryside which will suffice till Diwali,” he said.

He further said that, 20 to 30 per cent of Indian exports of onions, tomatoes and grapes was in Bangladesh markets. Due to road exports slowdown, grapes growers had to make a distress sale of grapes at Rs 12 per kg and the onion growers are in a similar position,” he said.

However NAFED director Nanasaheb Patil stated that there was some slowdown in the market, which would continue for a few months due to lower local demand. “During Aashad and Chaturmas months of the Hindu calendar, onion is not eaten by some communities.

Generally the national domestic requirement is about 10 to 12 lakh metric tonnes per month.

On Saturday, the minimum, maximum and average prices of onions per quintal were Rs 150, Rs 591 and Rs 475 in the Yeola APMC while the minimum, maximum and average prices of onions per quintal were Rs 200, Rs 600 and Rs 470 in Chandwad APMC.

In Niphad APMC, the minimum, maximum and average prices of onions per quintal were Rs 225, Rs 610 and Rs 521. On June 1, the prices quoted were higher by Rs 100 to Rs 200 per quintal.