How the ubiquitous onion exposes weaknesses in India's farm policies

Fractured markets accentuate the demand-supply mismatch typical of this dining staple

It is not only one of the most common vegetables in Indian households, but perhaps is also an epitome of what is wrong with the country’s agriculture and policies that govern it.

Onion, which is cultivated in small landholdings in limited areas but consumed almost uniformly across the country, is produced using very rudimentary methods and output-forecasting procedures. Very small quantities of the vegetable, which has a limited shelf life, are processed in the country. The bulbs are highly vulnerable to the vagaries of nature and are frequently subjected to curbs on free trade, mostly in the form of stock