Maharashtra to increase onion storage capacity by 20 per cent

PUNE: Maharashtra government has decided to increase the onion storage capacity in the state by 20 per cent in the current year with government subsidy under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).

"We plan to increase the number of onion storage structures from 7 lakh to 8.5 lakh. Our target is to take the final number pf strictures to 22 lakh," said state marketing minister Sadhabhau Khot.

However, trade experts think that with increase in onion production in non-traditional onion producing states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar etc, encouraging farmers to storage more onions can invite more problems for the commodity.

Maharashtra has the largest onion storage capacity in the country, which was mostly created with the help of government subsidy, though the pace had reduced in recent past.

The state government has also decided to help farmer producer companies export horticultural produce by encouraging them to use the government export facility centres.

"We will implement a pilot project with FPOs to pomegranates from Sangli district," said Khot.

Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) has set up 44 export facilities of which five are operated by private players while the 6 are used by FPOs. The Board has proposed to gradually hand over all the 44 facilities to FPO. "We will train the farmers about training. During initial few months, we can also export on their behalf till they get experience," said Milind Akre, managing director, MSAMB.