ONION PRICES SET TO SPIKE AS TRADERS STRIKE

Nashik, situated in northern Maharashtra, the epicentre of India's onion trading where approximately 37% of the country's total onion output is traded, is facing turmoil. Around 600 traders from all 15 Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) have initiated an indefinite strike.

- MANISH AWASTHI

This move ensures that the traders will abstain from participating in onion auctions in mandis, potentially triggering a nationwide onion supply crisis.

Uttam Kadam, an onion expert, informed TDG that the root of the problem lies with two central government agencies: the National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India Limited (NCCF). These agencies have been procuring onions directly from the farmers and offering them to APMCs across the country at significantly lower prices than what the traders charge their bulk buyers, creating a price discrepancy of 600-700 rupees per quintal.