Farmers from Nashik threatened protests in New Delhi if the government did not drop the 40% export duty on onions. The farmers also don't want Nafed and NCCF to sell their buffer stock of onions anywhere in the country until the average wholesale onion prices touch Rs 6,000 per 100 kgs-mark.
Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra State Onion Growers Association, said the federal government has imposed heavy export duty on onions at a time when average wholesale prices are below Rs 2,100 per 100 kgs at the Nashik district Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs).
Traders have been on strike since last Wednesday and have shut all auctions. It has affected estimated onion auctions worth Rs 1.25 mln. In addition, traders stopped dispatching onions from Monday. State marketing minister Abdul Sattar has called a meeting with traders on Tuesday to discuss their issues.
[ Rs100 = €1.10 ]
