Piyush Goyal cautions protesting onion farmers against ‘political opponents’

Even as onion farmers stopped trading at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee’s (APMC) Nashik market, the Centre said it is in touch with the Maharashtra Government to diffuse the protests that emerged soon after the announcement to impose 40% duty on onion exports.

Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal said the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) have started procuring onions from farmers at a “historically high” rate of ₹2,410 per quintal.

Asia’s largest onion market at Lasalgaon wears a deserted look after farmers and traders’ strike against the central government’s decision to impose export duty of 40% on onions till December 31, in Nashik, on August 22, 2023. (Source: PTI)