Balancing the Onion Market: Maharashtra's Call for Coordinated Efforts

Maharashtra's Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal urged NAFED to collaborate when making decisions about onion stock releases, highlighting the impact on farmers and consumers. Rawal stressed the importance of export support and proposed additional subsidies to stabilize onion prices, while addressing traders' market manipulation tactics.

Maharashtra's Marketing Minister, Jaykumar Rawal, has emphasized the need for NAFED to align its onion stock decisions with the state, to prevent negative impacts on farmers and consumers.

After announcing that this year's onion production has increased by 55 lakh metric tonnes to 170 lakh metric tonnes, Rawal warned that NAFED's decision to release stored onions could destabilize the market.

The Minister highlighted that timely exports and an additional subsidy proposal might stabilize prices, counteracting traders' manipulation aimed at depressing market values. Rawal's department is pushing for market committee oversight to ensure fair trading practices.

(With inputs from agencies.)