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Onion farmers threaten to take protest to Delhi if demands not fulfilled
Onion farmers in Nashik, India have demanded action from the government as onion auctions have been halted for six consecutive days due to a traders' strike. Farmers are suffering losses and are demanding the removal of export duty on onions and the depositing of pending subsidies into their accounts. Farmers have warned that if their demands are not met, they will take their protest to Delhi. Onion traders have been on strike since last Wednesday, causing auctions to come to a halt. A meeting has been called for Tuesday to address the issue.
PUNE: On Monday − the sixth consecutive day of onion auctions having ground to a halt – farmers’ organisations in Nashik called a joint meeting at the Lasalgaon APMC market wherein they demanded immediate action from the state government.
Maharashtra Onion Producers’ Association president, Bharat Dighole, sounded a warning saying, “There are three main demands of the farmers, and they should be fulfilled immediately by the state and central government. Onion farmers in the state are worried due to the ongoing traders’ strike in Nashik district. Therefore, the government should think about this issue as soon as possible, otherwise, we will go to Delhi in the next few days.”
The meeting was attended by farmers from Yeola, Chandwad, Niphad, Nandgaon and other talukas. The farmers said that they have been suffering losses ever since the onion auctions were stopped. They demanded that the onion growers be given the price of their onion which is now getting damaged. They demanded that the state government take immediate action on the issue.
Dighole said, “In today’s meeting, three major demands have been put forward by our farmers’ associations. These include removing 40 per cent export duty on onion, stopping onion supply from NAFED and NCCF, and depositing the pending amount of the onion subsidy directly into the farmers’ accounts. The government should pay serious attention to these demands and fulfil them otherwise the Maharashtra Onion Producers’ Association will go to Delhi soon.”
The farmers warned the state and central government that if their demands are not fulfilled, they will take their protest to the national capital. Before the meeting, office-bearers of the Maharashtra Onion Producers’ Association reached Lasalgaon and raised slogans against the state and central government at the entrance of the Lasalgaon APMC market.
Onion traders from all 15 APMC markets in Nashik district have been on strike since last Wednesday, and onion auctions have ground to a halt. Earlier at the meeting called by Nashik guardian minister Dada Bhuse, no solution could be reached. Thereafter, the traders held a meeting in Yeola on Friday in which they made it clear that they were firm on their decision. Marketing minister Adbul Sattar has called a meeting on Tuesday. If the farmers’ demands are accepted in this meeting, onion traders will participate in the auctions else the traders will continue with their strike indefinitely.
