The strike by Nashik onion traders prompted the Maha government to explore alternatives to the APMC auction

Onion traders in Nashik continue their strike for the eighth day, forcing the Maharashtra government to explore an alternative auction system.

The aim of this new system is to help farmers sell onions, maintain a constant supply of onions in the market and prevent any kind of shortage.

Maharashtra’s marketing minister Abdul Sattar has stressed that traders should not put undue pressure on farmers, as farmers face substantial losses due to spoilage of onions in storage.

He also said that the government is actively working on a strategy to limit the ability of traders to call a strike.

Additionally, the government is considering the option of involving national agencies to help procure onions directly from farmers.

Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) are being considered as a potential platform for these agricultural transactions.

Onion growers in Nashik are requesting government support to sell their produce directly in the market, as they feel traders and agents currently have too much control over the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs).

Traders in Nashik are on strike to demand removal of 40 per cent export duty imposed on onions by the government last month.

Furthermore, they accused government agencies like the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (Nafed) and the National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India Limited (NCCF) of buying onions at low prices from Nashik farmers and selling them to APMCs in other states. are Much higher rates for bulk buyers.

First Published: 28 Sep 2023, 12:14 IST