Maharashtra farmers send onion parcel to PM Modi to protest drop in prices

In order to get relief from dropping prices, a group of farmers from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra have sent onions by post to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded lifting of the ban on export of the crop.

An onion consignment has been parcelled to the prime minister, reported PTI quoting farmers belonging to Shetkari Sanghatana and Shetkari Vikas Mandal said.

"Our demand is the Union government must immediately lift the ban on the export of onions and other agricultural produce. This will help open up the international market for farmers. We also seek Rs 1,000 per quintal as compensation for farmers who sold their produce last year," one of the farmers said.


"The input cost is very high. Farmers have to pay for fertilizers, pesticides, petrol and diesel as per global market rates. However, when it comes to selling the produce, we have to sell at Indian prices," he claimed.

Earlier, a farmer in Nashik district of Maharashtra lit a bonfire of the crop in protest against the government's policies and to highlight the plight of growers.

Onion cultivators are battling a crisis as the prices of the kitchen staple have taken a hit at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Lasalgaon, the largest wholesale onion market in Asia, in Nashik.

The drop in onion prices has angered farmers in Nashik district as well as in the rest of the state and they are staging agitations.

Maharashtra Rajya Kanda Utpadak Sanghatana (MRKUS) had stopped the auction of onions at Lasalgaon APMC on February 27. Similar agitations were staged in Chandwad and other parts of the district and across the state in the last week.

On Sunday, angry farmers gheraoed Union minister Bharati Pawar at Shirasgaon in Niphad taluka of Nashik district.

They questioned why the onion crop is not getting a good price when the Centre says it has increased the export of onions.

With inputs from PTI