Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has written a letter to Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal that growers in the State have landed in significant trouble due to the collapse of onion price and NAFED must purchase 2 lakh tonnes (lt) of the bulb using price stabilisation fund.
According to Shinde, Maharashtra accounts for produces between 35 and 40 per cent of all the onions produced in India. Onions are one of the state’s key crops. In 2021-22, production in Maharashtra was about 136.70 lt — 20 lt more than the previous year. As a result of abundant production, prices of the bulb collapsed and farmers are depressed and restless.
Sri Lanka imports big amount of onion from India, but due to the financial crisis in the neighbouring country import from India is in trouble.
Shinde also said that the union government has rejected the State’s demand to hike the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products to 10 per cent. NAFED has already purchased 2.38 lt in April-June and the additional purchases will help farmers, said Shinde.