National News: The month of May is usually known for drought and heat, but this time nature changed its ways. The unusual and heavy rains in South and Central India changed the mood of the weather while dashing the hopes of the farmers. The biggest hit are the onion farmers of Maharashtra, who were busy harvesting and storing their Rabi crop at this time.
Lakhs of quintals of onions rotted in the fields
The rains were so intense and unseasonal that the onion crop of thousands of farmers rotted in the fields. Those who had already harvested onions did not have storage facilities, and the heavy rains did not spare them either. Major onion-producing districts like Jalgaon, Nashik, Dhule, Pune, Beed, Solapur, Akola, and Parbhani have been badly affected by this crisis.
Farmers demanded compensation of â¹1 lakh per acre
The Maharashtra State Onion Producer Organization has written a letter to the state's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding compensation to the farmers at the rate of â¹1 lakh per acre. The organization claims that this year's rain has not only destroyed the crop but has also disrupted the market supply of onions and shaken the economic backbone of the farmers.
Appeal to the government and NAFED for purchase
The farmers have not only demanded compensation but have also appealed to the government to purchase 3 lakh tonnes of onion at the rate of â¹ 3,000 per quintal through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF). Farmers say that if government agencies do not intervene, they will be forced to sell onions at low prices, which will further deepen the losses.
Fear of price rise intensifies
This plight of farmers will not be limited to the fields only. This crisis can now directly affect the kitchen of the common man. Due to the decrease in the supply of onions, onions can reach â¹ 70-â¹ 100 per kg in the retail market in the next few weeks. In the past years too, when the onion crop was damaged, its prices had skyrocketed, and now history is ready to repeat itself.
The voice of the farmers is getting louder
The letter signed by the organization's president, Bharat Dighole, and Nashik chief, Jaideep Bhadane, clearly states that the state government should assess the damage with immediate effect and provide immediate relief so that the farmers can come out of the situation of debt and stress.
The government should stand with the farmers
While the rain brought relief to the weather, it turned out to be a disaster for the onion farmers of Maharashtra. Now it is the responsibility of the government and the system to stand with the farmers at this time. If there is a delay, not only will the fields be empty, but the prices of onions in the market can again bring tears to the eyes of the people.
