Farmers in Maharashtra are grappling with severe financial setbacks as the prices of onions continue to plummet in the market. In response to this crisis, a committee led by former Marketing Director Sunil Pawar has advocated for the implementation of e-auctions for onions in all market committees across the state, aiming to secure better prices for farmers and alleviate their economic strain.
During the onion harvest season, surplus onions flood the market, compelling farmers to sell their produce at distressingly low prices to prevent spoilage, as storage facilities are limited. This practice often leads to farmers incurring losses well below their production costs.
The Sunil Pawar Committee’s proposal focuses on leveraging e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) or e-trading schemes initiated by the central government to facilitate transparent auctions. This would ensure that farmers receive fair prices for their onions and enable direct deposit of sales proceeds into their bank accounts, preventing exploitation by traders.
Currently operational in 118 market committees in the state, e-NAM transactions have shown promising results in promoting fair trade practices. Expanding this system to include onion transactions could help stabilize prices and bolster demand across the country.
Furthermore, the committee advocates for a reevaluation of the onion export policy, particularly during harvest seasons, to prevent surplus onions from going to waste. Exploring export opportunities to neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka could provide an additional avenue for market growth, albeit with careful consideration of payment security concerns.
Incentivizing onion processing industries is another recommendation put forth by the committee to stimulate domestic sales and elevate prices. Chairman Kailas Limbhore and Secretary Balasaheb Dhandre of the Village Agricultural Produce Market Committee stress the importance of implementing these measures to support onion farmers and restore stability to the market.
