Why are Maharashtra’s onion farmers protesting? | Explained

The story so far:

Since September 12, thousands of farmers from Maharashtra, the state’s largest onion, are organizing a telephone protest. The main reason for agitation is the distress caused by the decrease in onion market prices. Farmers immediately request 1,500 ₹ help per quintal. Experts say the problem is systemic. Maharashtra produced more onions than necessary this year, and the quality of the stored Rabi onions has deteriorated and reduced market prices. They argue that the government should facilitate onion exports, create a uniform export policy, create confidence among importers and make discussions with key buyers to secure stable markets.

Why do farmers protest?

Currently, farmers say they have earned only 800 to 1000 to 1,000 per quintal for onions, while the production cost is 2,200 to 2,500 ° per quintal. Rabi, stored by farmers in the hope of better rates, worsens the onions and forces them to sell them at lower prices. At the same time, the government released Arabellek stock at cheaper prices in the market and further reduced the rates.

Maharashtra states, one of the main demands put forward by the organization of onion farmers, “NCCF and NAFED stocks should be stopped in cities around the country,” he said. India, a large consumer cooperative in India, India National Cooperative Federation Ltd. (NCCF); And to encourage and improve the cooperative marketing of agricultural products for the benefit of farmers, the APEX Cooperative Organization National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED), India’s Price Stabilization Policy, to jointly supply, store and sell it as part of its government.

How does the onion price stabilization policy affect farmers?

India’s onion price stabilization policy focuses on the protection of a strategic buffer stock under Price Stability Fund (PSF) to manage price volatility. The government supplies onions to build this buffer and is released through sales points and mobile trucks to large consumption centers to provide consumers and prevent stacking during high prices or lean supply periods.

However, at the moment, farmers are still sitting in Rabi onion stocks and trying to sell them on the market.

At a time when the products receive a market price lower than the production cost, prices are decreased due to NAFED and NCCF stocks.

What solutions do farmers and experts recommend?

According to government data, 25.25 lakh tons of onions were exported in 2022-23, which is a significant increase compared to previous years. However, in two years, export fell more than half-2024-25 was exported only 11.47 lakh tons. “There is an urgent need to regain competitiveness and to secure India’s position in the global onion markets. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were two main importers of India onion.

Farmers and exporters want the government to encourage exports because India is one of the world’s leading onion breeders. Farmers said that countries such as China and Pakistan during the government’s informal policy seized India’s export market.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government announced the supply of 1,200 ₹ onion per Quotetal, which is considered to be very important to protect farmers. One of the suggestions given to the Maharashtra government is to imitate the Andhra model and to promote onion farmers.