Nashik: Farmers in the onion belt of Nashik have strongly opposed the revised procurement rate of Rs16.50 per kg announced by the Union consumer affairs ministry, stating that it fails to even cover the cost of production. Growers have reiterated their demand for a minimum procurement price of Rs30 per kg and urged the government to ensure purchases are made from farmers at the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs).
Centre's Revised Procurement Price
On Friday, the Centre marginally increased the procurement price for onions to Rs16.50 per kg from the previous Rs15.80 per kg for procurement by two central agencies: the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF). However, the move has failed to reassure farmers grappling with rising input costs and volatile market prices.
Farmers' Associations React
Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra Onion Growers’ Association, said the revised rate remains significantly below the production cost, estimated at around Rs20 per kg. “The government has set a target of procuring 2 lakh metric tonnes of summer onions through NAFED and NCCF, with each agency tasked to procure 1 lakh MT. But the procurement price of Rs16.50 per kg is a mockery of farmers, as it will only deepen their losses,” he said.
Dighole pointed out that A and B grade onions are currently fetching between Rs18 and Rs25 per kg in most of the APMCs in Nashik district. “If market (APMC) prices are already higher, farmers will not prefer selling to government agencies at lower rates. The state government must take up the issue with the Centre and push for increasing procurement rates to at least Rs25-30 per kg,” he added.
Demands for Transparent Procurement
Farmers have also raised concerns over the procurement mechanism, demanding greater transparency. Nivrutti Nyaharkar, an onion grower, said procurement should be carried out within APMCs through open auctions to eliminate irregularities. “Purchases made outside APMCs often lack transparency. Direct procurement from farmers within APMCs will ensure fair practices and better price discovery,” he said.
Farmer Yogesh Sangle said the central agencies should adopt a uniform procurement policy without strict grading norms. “NAFED and NCCF should procure onions directly from farmers in a blanket manner. The Centre should fix the procurement rate at Rs30 per kg, which will also encourage competition among traders and improve returns for farmers,” he said.
Warning of Limited Impact
Farmers warned that unless procurement rates are aligned with production costs and market realities, the ongoing intervention by central agencies would have limited impact. They emphasized that the current rate does not provide any relief and called for immediate action from the government.
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