Onion export tax: Plight of farmers far from over

Several farmers Business Standard spoke to stated that they require anywhere between Rs 90,000 and Rs 1,30,000 for harvesting onions from a single acre of land

Chhaburao Jadhav, director at the Vinchur sub-agricultural produce market committee (APMC) in Nashik, placed his hand on his chest as he recounted an incident involving challenging circumstances faced by a farmer’s family who had recently harvested onions. The farmer couldn’t sell his harvest at any APMC as onion traders called for strikes following the Centre’s decision to impose a 40 per cent export duty on onions.

Although the strikes have now ended and auctions at some APMCs have resumed, alongside the Centre’s August 22 announcement to procure an additional 200,000 tonnes of onions at the rate of Rs 2,410 per quintal,