Onion trade drives poll pitch in Nashik-Ahmednagar belt

It is for the eighth time in this span that wholesale trade of the kitchen staple in Nashik district has been affected after traders halted auction in 15 APMCs

The plight of onion producers and exporters in Nashik, and neighbouring Ahmednagar and Pune, will fuel campaign pitches in the region for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Farmers and traders are protesting APMC’s latest mandate of slicing the weighing and labour charges off farmers’ share and passing it on to the Mathadi (head loaders) Board (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Onion producers in the Nashik-Ahmednagar belt have been a vulnerable lot since the last one year; and it is for the eighth time in this span that wholesale trade of the kitchen staple in Nashik district has been affected after traders halted auction across 15 Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC), including India’s largest Lasalgaon wholesale market, since April 4.

Farmers and traders are protesting APMC’s latest mandate of slicing the weighing and labour charges off farmers’ share and passing it on to the Mathadi (head loaders) Board. This has impacted farmers who have been a beleaguered lot since the Central government first imposed a 40% duty on exports in September, 2023, and subsequently banned it in December.

Maharashtra accounts for up to 35% of the country’s onion exports. The onion growing regions were under the influence of the NCP, until BJP wrested control in 2014.

NCP (SP) nominee from Shirur, Amol Kolhe, said, “The two mandates of the centre resulted in the prices plummeting (from ₹40-45 to ₹10 per kg in the retail market) at the time, which has led to farmers incurring major losses.” The produce is sold at ₹20-25 per kg today.

In Shirur, Kolhe is locked in fight against Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who has so far been quiet on the onion issue.

Dr Bharati Pawar, central minister of state who is contesting the elections from BJP said, “We are aware about the issues of onion growers, who are affected due to the export ban. But at the same time, our government is working on the Govt-to-govt (G2G) export to offer respite to farmers.”

Pawar will lock horns with Bhaskar Bhagare of NCP (SP) in Dindori, which has a sizeable tribal population. “BJP has made life worse for onion growers -- the central government and the local MP have not done anything to lessen their problems,” said Bhagare.

In 2019, Shirdi and Ahmednagar along with Dindori were won by the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. The Dindori, Shirdi and Ahmednagar LS seats cover 18 assembly segments of which 15 are dominated by onion growers. Of the 18 assembly seats, four are represented by NCP (Ajit Pawar camp), five by BJP, three by the Shinde camp of Sena, two by NCP (SP) and four by Congress.