Onion trades at output cost as prices decline 25%, may deter Kharif sowing

Crop quality is very poor due to delay in harvesting of matured crop, caused by shortage of workers and transport issues, says Lasalgaon APMC secretary

The price of onion has declined 25 per cent in the last two weeks and it is currently trading around the cost of production. The price decline may deter farmers from sowing this politically crucial vegetable in the upcoming kharif season.

In the benchmark Lasalgaon wholesale mandi in Maharashtra's Nashik district, onion was quoted at Rs 7.40 a kg on Tuesday, as against Rs 9.50 a kg on June 10. Onion arrivals during this period, however, plunged to 1,600 tonne (as of Tuesday);  arrivals of June 10 were 2,333 tonne. Some farmers were forced to sell their produce for as low