Wholesale onion prices crash in Nashik; farmers protest

Nashik/New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) Wholesale prices of oniontoday dropped by almost half to about Rs 17 a kg in the mainproducing region of Nashik in Maharashtra triggering a protestby farmers against the sudden drop in rates.

Hundreds of farmers staged dharna in front of main gateof APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) office atLasalgaon in the day to protest the sharp slide in the rate.

Police had to use mild cane charge to disperse theagitating onion growers, sources in the Lasalgaon police said.

They, however, said that there was no report of injury toanybody.

Wholesale prices of onion at Lasalgaon in Nashik fell toRs 17 a kg against Rs 32 a kg yesterday, according to the databy National Horticultural Research Development Foundation(NHRDF).

Arrival of onion in Lasalgaon was 14,520 tonnes against6,155 tonnes yesterday.

Similarly, the wholesale prices of onion at another majorproducing region Pimpalgaon in Nashik fell to Rs 18/kg todayvis-a-vis Rs 31 a kg yesterday. Arrival of onion there wasrecorded at 10,840 tonnes on January 24.

There were reports of crashing of wholesale prices of thekitchen staple in other main markets of Nashik like Manmad andMalegaon too.

The wholesale price of onion had peaked to Rs 40 per kgin the wholesale markets of Nashik last week. It has beenshowing declining trend before plummeting sharply today. PTICORR SNS