Pune: Dust storm and heavy rain in northern India have adversely affected the onion market in Maharashtra. As the demand from northern states dropped, the wholesale prices of onion have come down. However, market sources said that farmers should not rush to sell their produce, as they are likely to get good returns in coming months when the market situation will be in favour of farmers having storage capacity.
Officials sources from country’s largest market of the kitchen staple at Lasalgaon, in Nashik District, told Sakal Times, “Average prices of onions ranged between Rs 650 to Rs 700 per quintal throughout last week. The prices remain between Rs 325 per quintal to Rs 850 per quintal depending on the quality of the produce.”
The supply of onions in the Lasalgaon market was 15,000 quintal on Wednesday and it has remained in that range throughout the week.
The average wholesale onion price at the country’s largest market fell in April, touching a season’s low of Rs 600 per quintal. The prices have not recovered yet.
When asked about the reason for this, Narendra Vadhavane, Officer at Lasalgaon’s Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), said, “The produce that is being supplied in the market is a segregated one. Farmers have stored their produce for the monsoon season. The produce that is has come in the market is mainly that which is not fit for storage. Due to inferior quality, the produce is not fetching good rates.”
The prices are going to go up with the onset of monsoon. Changdevrao Holkar, former director of National Agriculture Marketing Board, said, “Farmers in Maharashtra have produced good quality onions this year. The market situation in the domestic market is in favour of farmers. The crop has been damaged in other parts of the country due to bad weather. But the crop in Maharashtra was not affected. So in the coming months, there will be a good market for onions from Maharashtra. Hence, the only thing is that farmers must wait and watch before bringing their produce to the market.”
