Onion prices crash in Nashik

Continuous drop in onion prices have brought tears in the eyes of farmers. The wholesale prices of onions, which were around Rs 375 per quintal last month have come down to Rs 150-200 per quintal at the agriculture produce market committees in Nashik district. In the retail market today, onion was sold at Rs 3 to 4 per kg.

Nashik district is the major onion market of the country and it produces about 12 lakh Metric Tonne of onions per year.

Prices of onions, which had shot up in October '05 owing to the delay in cultivation of Kharif crop and crop damage due to heavy rainfall in other states, have dropped to Rs 60-150 per quintal on fresh arrivals on a huge scale. This is, perhaps, season's lowest price in the district, which has created panic among onion-growers.

Today, the wholesale prices of onions in the district APMCs came down to Rs 140-200 per quintal. This week, the wholesale prices of onions fell by Rs 100-150 per quintal as compared with last week.

The wholesale prices of onions at Nashik and Manmad APMCs were at Rs 50-140 per quintal and Rs 60-200 per quintal, respectively, while onion was sold at Rs 210 per quintal at Pimpalgaon APMC and Rs 175 at Yeola APMC.Onion-growers are in financial ruin as the production cost of onion cultivation cannot be managed from the current prices.

Storing onions is not possible as it is a perishable commodity and there is paucity of cold storage facilities in the district.

District farmers have asked state government to give a price guarantee of Rs 500 per quintal.