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Time of India
a day ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Counting losses due to delay in onion procurement by government: Maharashtra farmers
Onion farmers in Maharashtra have accused the government-appointed nodal agencies of delaying crop procurement, claiming that it caused huge losses after unseasonal rains hit the state in May. The "failure" to buy onions on time under the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) mechanism meant the produce that could have been stored and sold was instead left exposed to adverse weather, leading to spoilage and financial distress, they said. Under the PSF, nodal agencies like the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India ( NAFED ) and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India ( NCCF ) are tasked with stabilising prices and protecting farmers' interests by procuring onions and other notified commodities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Where Sheikh Hamdan Dines in Dubai savoirflair Learn More Undo State government sources confirmed that the procurement process this year did not commence as scheduled, leaving farmers without institutional support. "NAFED and NCCF were supposed to procure 10 per cent of the scheduled quantity in April and 45 per cent in May. Had they followed this timeline, about 1.65 lakh tonnes of onions would have been procured and safely stored," said Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra State Onion Producers' Association. Live Events "Instead, the delay meant farmers had to keep onions in makeshift storage, many without proper facilities. The rains came, and the crop was lost," he claimed. According to preliminary estimates from the state revenue department, over 3,000 hectares of onion cultivation got damaged due to unseasonal showers between May 5 and 21. With an average productivity of 400 quintals per hectare, the loss might run into thousands of tonnes. Farmers say the procurement agencies' "inaction" forced them to gamble on short-term solutions. "We covered our onions with plastic sheets, thinking the showers would last a few days," said Sanjay Sathe, a farmer from Niphad in Nashik district. However, the rains didn't stop, and the covered onions began to rot due to excessive moisture, he said. "Those who had taken their produce to the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) lost their entire stock as the onions had been kept in open areas," said Sathe. A lot of stock would have gone to warehouses had NAFED and NCCF begun procurement on time, and farmers would have at least recovered some money, he said. "But the delay ruined everything," added the onion grower. Heavy rains lashed several parts of the state in May this year, which also saw the early arrival of monsoon. Farmers have also claimed that "malpractices" and inadequate infrastructure have marred Maharashtra's onion procurement efforts. In the current year, NAFED aimed to procure 1.5 lakh tonnes of onions from the state for buffer stock. In 2024-25, the agency had procured 1.75 lakh tonnes from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh combined, while NCCF secured 2.5 lakh tonnes, against its target of 5 lakh tonnes, Doghole claimed. Though onions arrive in the market both before and after the monsoon, only the pre-monsoon crop is procured by government agencies due to its low moisture content. The post-monsoon harvest, which has a high water content, is sold directly in the market. NAFED last year had filed cases against six Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) in Maharashtra for allegedly creating fake procurement records, which appears to have slowed down procurement operations this year, said farmers. "We have blacklisted six federations that failed to deliver onions as required," a NAFED official had said in February this year. Farmers and activists have claimed that the procurement process is opaque and often favours intermediaries. FPCs and traders often pose as genuine sellers and divert stocks to the open market at a profit, they said. "The system needs to be more transparent. The government talks about helping farmers, but we see the same problems every year," said Dighole. The lack of scientific storage facilities is another major problem. A 2023 Agriculture Ministry report acknowledged the problem, noting that "the storage of onion is challenging as the majority of the stock is stored in open ventilated structures". According to farmers, a ban on onion exports and a 40 per cent duty, which lasted through 2023-24, continued to depress prices and production incentives into 2025. Though the export restrictions were lifted in April 2024, their impact lingers, they said. "We were already struggling because of the export ban," said Hari Gaikwad, a farmer from Pimpalgaon in Nashik district. "Now, the government fails to buy our produce in time. It's the farmer who suffers every time. We are the ones who got hit both times," he said. The system must be "fixed", Dighole said. "If procurement agencies cannot function as intended, they are failing the very people they are meant to serve," he said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Onion farmers' body demands financial relief from state govt
N Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ashik: The Maharashtra Onion Growers Association (MOGA) has urged state govt to provide immediate financial relief to onion farmers affected by recent bouts of heavy showers. According to Bharat Dighole, President of MOGA, continuous rainfall has led to rotting of onion crops across thousands of acres. Major onion-producing districts such as Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Jalgaon, Dhule, Chhatrapati Sambhajingar, Pune, Solapur, Beed, and Sangli have been significantly impacted, with farmers unable to harvest their produce due to the incessant downpour. "Onions kept in the fields after harvest were also damaged due to the rainfall. Hence, state govt should provide financial relief of Rs1 lakh per acre to farmers for damage to onion crops. Additionally, a grant of Rs2,000 per quintal should be given to the farmers who sold their produce at a lower rate due to a drop in wholesale prices caused by faulty policies of the govt," Dighole said. The association on Thursday sent letters to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and two deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, highlighting their demands. Dighole said the Centre already announced the procurement of 3 lakh tonnes under Price Stability Funds to create a buffer stock through central govt agencies — the National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (Nafed) and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF). "We want both the central agencies to procure onions directly from onion farmers at the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) at Rs3,000 per quintal," he said.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Mumbai, Pune Rain: How heavy showers in Maharashtra could bring tears to your kitchen
Unseasonal rainfall across onion-growing regions of Maharashtra, including key regions like Nashik and Pune, has damaged large quantities of crops, raising fears of reduced supply and a possible rise in prices. For consumers in cities, this could soon mean higher onion bills at local markets. Several districts in the state have experienced heavy rainfall since early May. The rains, coming at the end of the Rabi harvesting season, have hit harvested and standing onion crops, pushing farmers into fresh losses and disrupting the supply chain. As a result, farmers are facing substantial crop losses, which could lead to reduced market supply and potential price hikes for consumers in the coming weeks. Rain damages onion harvests across major growing districts Onion-growing regions, including Konkan, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Latur, Amravati and Nagpur have experienced continuous rainfall since May 6. Farmers in Dhule, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, Beed, Dharashiv, Akola, Jalna, Buldhana and Jalgaon have also reported crop losses due to the unexpected downpour. "Unseasonal rains have lashed onion-growing districts of Dhule, Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Pune, Solapur, Beed, Dharashiv, Akola, Jalna, Buldhana, and Jalgaon. Prices were already down and have further slumped due to unseasonal rains," Bharat Dighole, founder-president of the Maharashtra State Onion Producers Farmers Association told PTI. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Snapping Up This TV Box, We Explain! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Market supply hit as stored and standing crops suffer According to Dighole, many farmers who harvested early, before March, managed to secure a decent yield. However, those who waited till April or May have seen their crops hit by extreme heat followed by rain. The sudden shift in weather has affected both harvested onions stored in open fields and standing crops still awaiting harvest. Also Read: Check all the live updates about Mumbai rain Live Events You Might Also Like: Southwest Monsoon to reach Mumbai, Bengaluru, other regions in next three days: IMD "Farmers who have harvested the crop before March this year have got good yield per acre, and those harvesting in April-May haven't been lucky, as the crop has faced excessive heat and unseasonal rains. Several farmers do not have storage facilities, and those who store their produce in the fields have been worst affected in the rains since May 6," he said. Prices low for now, but supply may tighten As of May 20, the average onion price in Lasalgaon market — one of the largest wholesale markets for onions — stood at ₹1,150 per quintal. With a possible decline in market arrivals due to damaged crops, wholesale prices may see upward pressure in the near term. Onion acreage reached record high this year In 2024–25, onion was cultivated across 6,51,965 hectares in Maharashtra, a significant jump from 4,64,884 hectares in 2023–24 and 5,53,212 hectares in 2022–23. Nashik alone accounted for 2,90,136 hectares this year, making it the largest contributor. Exports remain strong despite past restrictions Despite repeated restrictions on exports imposed by the Union government since 2019, India has maintained a steady volume of outbound onion shipments. Maharashtra remains the country's leading onion exporter. "In 2018-19, 21.83 lakh tonnes of onions were exported, bringing in Rs 3,468 crore in foreign currency. In 2019-20, 11.49 lakh tonnes were exported, and the revenue was Rs 2,320 crore. It was 15.73 lakh tonnes and Rs 3,432 crore in 2021-22, and in 2022-23, we exported 25.25 lakh tonnes of onions and earned Rs 4,522 crore. The figure was 17.17 lakh tonnes and Rs 3,922 crore for 2023-24," Dighole said. Farmers urge policy clarity on domestic demand Dighole called for a clearer national production estimate to help plan both domestic distribution and export strategies. "In such a scenario, there will be no scarcity, and consumers can get affordable onions. When onion prices rise, the government steps in to control it by levying export duty, minimum export prices and banning exports. Farmers suffer because of it," he said. As the rain clouds linger over Maharashtra, the price of onions may soon start to reflect the damage done in the fields — with household budgets in urban centres like Mumbai and Pune likely to feel the pinch. (Inputs from PTI)
The Print
25-05-2025
- Climate
- The Print
Amid price slump, unseasonal rains double headache for Maharashtra's onion farmers
The damage in real terms is yet to be ascertained as the rains continue and panchnamas (spot assessment) haven't been done, he lamented. Onion crops on thousands of acres have been damaged in the rains, leaving farmers staring at heavy losses, Maharashtra State Onion Producers Farmers Association founder-president Bharat Dighole told PTI. Mumbai, May 25 (PTI) Pre-monsoon rains in several parts of Maharashtra since the beginning of May have increased the worries of the state's onion cultivators, who are already stressed about falling prices of the kitchen staple. Onion-producing areas in Konkan, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Latur, Amravati and Nagpur have been witnessing heavy unseasonal rains since May 6. 'Unseasonal rains have lashed onion-growing districts of Dhule, Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Pune, Solapur, Beed, Dharashiv, Akola, Jalna, Buldhana, and Jalgaon. Prices were already down and have further slumped due to unseasonal rains,' he said. He said in the Lasalgaon market, as of May 20, the average price was Rs 1,150 per quintal. Onion growers begin preparations for the Rabi season a year in advance, with the nursery being set up in August-September 2024 and replantation carried out from November (2024) to January (2025), Dighole explained. 'Farmers who have harvested the crop before March this year have got good yield per acre, and those harvesting in April-May haven't been lucky, as the crop has faced excessive heat and unseasonal rains. Several farmers do not have storage facilities, and those who store their produce in the fields have been worst affected in the rains since May 6,' he pointed out. The harvested crops of these farmers have become wet, while even standing crops have been damaged in many areas, Dighole added. In 2022-23, onion cultivation was on 5,53,212 hectares, while in 2023-24, it was on 4,64,884 hectares, and in 2024-25, on a record 6,51,965 hectares, he said. Dighole said Nashik is the largest onion-producing region in the country, and in 2024-25, the crop was cultivated on 2,90,136 hectares, while it was on 1,67,285 hectares in 2023-24 and 2,48,417 hectares in 2022-23. Despite bans being imposed by the Union government now and then since 2019, exports have been robust and brought in substantial revenue, with Maharashtra being the leading state in the country in this regard, he pointed out. 'In 2018-19, 21.83 lakh tonnes of onions were exported, bringing in Rs 3,468 crore in foreign currency. In 2019-20, 11.49 lakh tonnes were exported, and the revenue was Rs 2,320 crore. It was 15.73 lakh tonnes and Rs 3,432 crore in 2021-22, and in 2022-23, we exported 25.25 lakh tonnes of onions and earned Rs 4,522 crore. The figure was 17.17 lakh tonnes and Rs 3,922 crore for 2023-24,' he said, giving nationwide figures. The Union government must make public the yearly output needed in the country so that farmers can plan accordingly and excess produce can be exported. 'In such a scenario, there will be no scarcity, and consumers can get affordable onions. When onion prices rise, the government steps in to control it by levying export duty, minimum export prices and banning exports. Farmers suffer because of it,' Dighole asserted. PTI MR BNM ARU This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
