Hard times in store for Nashik onion growers

Onion farmers in Nashik are faced with yet another bearish phase as prices have declined to Rs 35-45 per 10 kg "� well below the Rs 60-65 per 10 kg range estimated for this time of the season.

They attribute the crash in onion prices to the heavy rains that lashed the northern district of Maharashtra, and fear that the prices may slump further.

The steep fall in onion prices, which, for the district, has touched the season's lowest price level, has created panic among the growers.

To survive the downturn, they have sought the government's support. "We are passing through a very bad time now. There are no takers even at reduced prices," a farmer said.

The farmers have asked the state government to offer a guaranteed price of Rs 500 a quintal.

"We have reduced the prices below the production cost of Rs 25 per 10 kg in Nashik, yet buyers are staying away because they fear that they may encounter spoilage very soon," he added.

The recent rains washed away about 7 per cent of total onion output of Nashik, one of the leading onion producing areas in the country with an annual production of about 12 lakh tonne.

Huge stocks, including National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation's 8,000 tonne in the worst flood-hit region in the country "� Pimpalgaon (near Nashik), were destroyed. Damage in Pimpalgaon also included the loss of about 50,000-70,000 tonne of onion, suffered by Mumbai-based traders.

There is a great paucity of cold storage facilities in the districts of Nashik, Manmad, Pimpalgaon and Yeola, which produce huge quantities of onions.