Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the Centre will procure fresh onions from farmers at Rs 12.35 per kg starting Friday, following a sharp fall in onion prices. Speaking in Satara, Maharashtra, he said the government will purchase the entire available stock to support growers. Chouhan linked the decline to disrupted onion exports amid the West Asia crisis, triggered by US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, and directed NAFED to carry out procurement.
A farmer from Paithan, Maharashtra, sold 25 sacks of onions and received only Re 1, a stark snapshot of the agrarian crisis. Oversupply and weak prices, along with quality concerns, are squeezing incomes and worsening debt. Traders blame the market imbalance, while experts urge policy changes to better manage demand, supply, and farmer livelihoods.
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