Maharashtra NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Monday demanded that the government procure onions at Rs 25 per kg and provide compensation to farmers who had sold their produce at distress prices, in the backdrop of the falling rates of the key kitchen staple.
Pawar, along with party MPs Nilesh Lanke and Bhaskar Bhagare, joined onion growers in a tractor rally and sit-in protest at Lasalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Nashik, one of the largest onion trading centres in the country.
The protesters symbolically ate onions and bhakri (flatbread of millets) to draw attention to the plight of farmers.
Onion prices have fallen as exports have been affected due to the West Asia crisis.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday announced that the Centre will procure the bulb at the rate of Rs 12.35 per kg from farmers.
Speaking at a protest here on Monday, Pawar claimed that onion growers in Maharashtra were unable to recover even their cost of production, and many had suffered substantial losses.
Several farmers were forced to bear transportation expenses from their own pockets after selling onions at throwaway prices, the legislator from the Opposition NCP (SP) said.
According to Pawar, the cost of producing onions is between Rs 17 and Rs 20 per kg, while farmers are currently receiving around Rs 12.50 per kg, which he described as a grave injustice.
The government should procure all onions directly from farmers at market committees at Rs 25 per kg, instead of relying on procurement through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd, he said.
Pawar also demanded a subsidy of Rs 15 to Rs 20 per kg for farmers who had earlier sold onions at very low prices.
If the government failed to address the issue and accept the demands of onion growers, the agitation would be intensified in the coming days, he added.
