Congress Warns Of Intensified Agitation Over Onion Prices, Marches To NAFED Office In Nashik

Nashik: Farmers are currently very worried due to onion prices and are facing a financial crisis. Onion prices in the local market have dropped to Rs 10 per kg. The central and state governments are responsible for this situation, and there is a need to provide relief to the sector by taking immediate, sustainable decisions. The Congress party on Wednesday warned that if both - state and central - governments do not take immediate steps, they will stage a strong agitation in the future.

A march was taken out on the onion issue at the NAFED divisional office in Nashik. Former minister Balasaheb Thorat, MP Dr Shobha Bachhav, senior party leaders Rajaram Pangwane, Sharad Aher and Akash Chhajed led the march.

Onion is the backbone of the Nashik district economy and is the livelihood of lakhs of farmers, labourers and the working class. The government should pay serious attention to this and take immediate action, Thorat said.

Also, the concerned agencies should look into this issue seriously, otherwise more intense agitations will be launched in the future, Thorat warned.

A representation was given to the divisional managers on behalf of the march.

'Buy 3 lakh metric tonnes of onion'

Various demands have been made in the representation. These include, that onion should be purchased through auction method through the Agricultural Produce Market Committee through NAFED, that onion should get a guaranteed price of at least Rs 3,000 per quintal, that farmers should be given a subsidy of Rs 500 per quintal, that another 3 lakh metric tonnes of onion should be purchased as there is still 70 per cent onion left in the district, and that a minimum support price (MSP) should be fixed for the onion crop.

A large number of Congress workers and farmers participated in this march.