Govt to procure onions from farmers if needed, says Fadnavis

The statement is expected to pacify onion farmers in Nashik who stopped auctions in wholesale markets in the district indefinitely on Saturday, after the centre banned onion exports till March 31 next year

NAGPUR: The union government has assured the state government that if onion farmers face severe consequences due to the export ban in future, it will procure onions directly from growers to bail them out from the crisis, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the legislative council on Monday. Chief minister Eknath Shinde too told reporters that the state government would take steps to ensure that farmers did not suffer losses due to the export ban.

Nagpur, Dec 11 (ANI): MLAs of Mahavikas Aghadi protest against the central government regarding the onion export ban in Nagpur on Monday. (ANI Photo) (Chandrakant Paddhane)

The statements are expected to pacify onion farmers in Nashik who stopped auctions in wholesale markets in the district indefinitely on Saturday, after the centre banned onion exports till March 31 next year. The decision to suspend auctions was taken at a meeting of the Nashik District Onion Traders Association in Chandwad.

Replying to a question from the Opposition bench on Monday, Fadnavis said the export ban was imposed due to a 25-30% shortage in production this season. He said he had urged the minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal to reconsider the ban, and the latter assured him that the union government would procure onions directly from farmers if situation so demanded. Opposition leader Ambadas Danve drew the house’s attention to the plight of farmers, saying onion prices had plunged from ₹4,000 per quintal before the ban to ₹1,200-1,500 per quintal now. The sudden imposition of restrictions was adversely affecting the sector and causing potential financial losses for onion growers, he said.

Meanwhile, chief minister Eknath Shinde too told reporters that he had a conversation with Piyush Goyal about the issue and the state government would take steps to ensure that farmers did not suffer losses due to the export ban. Shinde also addressed the ban on using sugarcane juice and sugar syrup for ethanol production, indicating that government representatives would meet the union cooperation minister Amit Shah to discuss the matter.