Onion farmers pick holes in govt statement allowing export

As farmers and opposition parties in Maharashtra raised their voice against the central government’s decision to lift the ban and allow export of white onion from Gujarat, the BJP leaders shared a statement of central government agencies allowing 99,150 metric tons of onion export to six countries

Mumbai: Farmers and opposition parties in Maharashtra raised their voice against the central government’s decision to lift the ban and allow export of white onion from Gujarat, the BJP leaders shared a statement of central government agencies allowing 99,150 metric tons of onion export to six countries. But the onion farmers association has called it an eyewash saying the government has repackaged and giving publicity to an old decision that’s not really benefiting them.

Onion farmers pick holes in govt statement allowing export

The ruling BJP government has sought to keep the cash crop of onion out of the poll discourse lest it became the symbol of farmer unrest ahead of the remaining three phases of polls in north and western Maharashtra, and parts of Marathwada. But a controversy erupted after reports that the central government has allowed the export of 2,000 tons of white onions from Gujarat. Farmers in several districts including Nashik and Lasalgaon who were experiencing losses due to the export ban felt unfairly treated. Farmers leader Raju Shetti slammed the BJP and the ruling alliance for double standards. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut termed it anti-Maharashtra.

On Saturday afternoon, the press information bureau of India released a statement saying: “Centre allows export of 99,150 metric ton onion to six countries Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Baharain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.” The statement said that the National Co-operative Exports Limited (NCEL) will facilitate this export. BJP leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis shared this information on social media and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Onion producer farmers in Maharashtra will get maximum benefit from this decision,” said Fadnavis in his post. Other BJP leaders also came forward to thank Modi while counter-attacking the opposition.

Onion farmers play a role in constituencies such as Nashik, Dindori, Shirur, Shirdi, Ahmednagar, Solapur and Madha. And they were not impressed.

The central government declared the ban on export of onion in the month of December and it was to be lifted on 31st March 2024. But the government on March 22, 2024 extended the ban for an indefinite period. Meanwhile the central government declared a limited export of onion through the NCE to the six countries in a phased manner but totalling to 99,150 metric tons. This is not a total lifting of the ban. They just put together the past decisions in one statement to pacify us. And it’s just an eyewash to mislead us,” said Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra Onion Producer Farmers Association in Nashik. Dighole said that the export ban led to a fall in prices at the Lasalgaon market and each farmer has suffered a loss of ₹1.5 lakh per acre. “The farmers will keep this in mind while voting,” he said.

Narendra Wadhavane, secretary of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) of Lasalgaon, the biggest onion market in the country and all of Asia, said that onion farmers are getting a price of ₹1,250 to ₹1,350 per quintal and their loss is around ₹1,200 to ₹1,500 per quintal. “The NCEL which has been assigned the task of arranging the export to six countries has not purchased onions from any APMC in Nashik district. Farmers will get benefit from the export only if the onions are purchased from the APMC. So as of now farmers are not getting any benefit,” said Wadhavane.

Leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Ambadas Danve said, “BJP leaders are misleading the farmers as they can see that the anger among farmers will defeat the ruling party in several seats in Maharashtra. But farmers know the anti-Maharashtra mindset of the ruling alliance and the central government in particular,” said Danve.