Angry onion farmers stop auction

Angry over the Centre for not reducing the Minimum Export Price (MEP) on onions, farmers stopped auctions in Lasalgaon and Pimpalgaon Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) yards on Monday morning. However after intervention by APMC office bearers and revenue officials, the markets restarted by afternoon. Lasalgaon APMC chairman Nanasaheb Patil told the boycotting farmers, “The Government was not concerned with their issues. If we boycott, our produce will be spoilt and we ourselves will have to bear the cost. We appeal to the revenue officials to send our memorandums to the commerce ministry and the Prime Minister.” After his appeal, the markets restarted. Meanwhile, a simmering tension is palpable in all APMCs in Nashik district. If the falling prices are not contained, there could be a serious problem, sources said. Earlier, Shetkari Sanghatna had launched an onion agitation in the eighties in which many people lost their lives,” he said.