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Onion farmers in Maharashtra may finally see some relief as their demands for protesting against the sharp decline in prices and requesting a higher minimum support price (MSP) are expected to be addressed within the next 10 days, according to government sources.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, met Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah and Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi to discuss the farmers’ issue and the crash in onion prices.

Farmers are protesting against the sharp fall in onion prices. Pic/File pic

After the meeting, Fadnavis told the media that the issues faced by onion farmers would be discussed and addressed within the next 10 days.

Crash in onion prices

Onion farmers across Maharashtra are facing severe distress due to the sharp crash in prices. Many farmers are reportedly receiving only Rs 1-2 per kg for their produce in wholesale markets. Angry farmers have demanded immediate government intervention, saying the current prices are so low that they are unable to recover even the basic cost of production and transportation, leading to massive financial losses. 

MSP price needs revision

Union Minister Amit Shah is said to have opined that the MSP for onion procurement needs to be revised. The government has announced a minimum support price (MSP) of `1580 per quintal for onions. However, the Opposition and protesting onion farmers are demanding a much higher MSP, ranging between `2500 and `3000 per quintal. 

No restriction on export

While many farmers claimed that they were finding it difficult to export onions, Chief Minister Fadnavis in Delhi categorically mentioned that there are no restrictions on the export of onions.