Centre ready to purchase unsold onions from farmers: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday told the legislative council that the Centre is ready to purchase onions from farmers that remain unsold. The announcement came amidst the protests by onion growers against export ban. NCP chief Sharad Pawar also joined the protests in Nashik.

Mr. Fadnavis said that he has discussed the issue of onion farmers with Union minister for consumer affairs,food and public distribution Piyush Goyal when he met the latter in Mumbai on Saturday.

“Generally, the export of onions is allowed when there is a huge production of the crop. However, the onion production dipped by 25-30 per cent this time. In such a scenario, allowing the export may lead to a shortage of the bulb and other issues,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

The Centre has banned onion exports till March 31, 2024, to increase domestic availability and keep prices in check.

The DCM was replying to a question raised by leader of opposition Ambadas Danve, who sought to know the measures being taken by the state government in view of the ban on the export of onions. “Farmers are badly affected by unseasonal rains. The ban on export of onions by the Central government is not in the interest of farmers, who are forced to resort to protests in Maharashtra,” Mr. Danve, the MLC of Shiv Sena (UBT) said.

Replying to Mr. Danve, Mr. Fadnavis said that Union minister Goyal has assured him that if onions remain unsold, the Central government is ready to buy the crop from farmers and it will announce the price for the same. Mr. Fadnavis further said that the state agriculture minister will meet Mr. Goyal again as the government is trying to find a way out.

Opposition legislators also staged a protest on steps of the Vidhan Bhavan building in Nagpur against the export ban on onions. Some of the legislators wore garlands made of onions as a mark of protest. They raised slogans against the government while demanding a roll-back of the export ban on onions.

NCP chief and former Union agriculture minister Pawar addressed protesting onion growers at Chandwad village of Nashik. He alleged that the central government was ignoring the hard work of farmers and said cultivators need to be united and demand their rights. “I will go to New Delhi tomorrow and raise the issue with the authorities concerned as well as in the ongoing Parliament session. The state and Union government have the responsibility to help farmers,” he said.

Several activists of the NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), CPM and various farmers' organisations also participated in the agitation. Mr. Pawar said farmers have suffered huge losses due to the unseasonal rains and hailstorms and the ban on export of onions will increase their trouble.

Calling the Centre “anti-farmers”, Mr. Pawar said, “The decision to stop ethanol production (from sugarcane juice and sugar syrup) is also dangerous. The government should provide help to the farmers. We were forced to come out on the streets and stage rasta roko so that the government would wake up. This agitation is not only for Chandwad, but for the farmers all over Maharashtra and the whole country.”