Nafed starts onion procurement at Rs 12.35 per kg, Union agri minister cautions Maha govt over any irregularities in procurement, Fadnavis says move a big relief

Kolhapur: Central govt, through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed), has begun procuring onions at Rs 12.35 per kilogram in Maharashtra, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in Satara on Friday. He, however, emphasised that the procurement process must be closely monitored to prevent any “gadbad” (irregularities).Speaking at the same event, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the move would significantly ease the distress of onion farmers, many of whom have been forced to sell their produce at extremely low prices, sometimes as little as Rs 1 per kg, or even 50 paise after transport to APMCs. In some cases, farmers have reportedly dumped their produce due to unviable returns, he said.Chouhan and Fadnavis chaired the event of beneficiaries of PM Awas Yojana-rural in Satara on Friday. The Union minister said he had received a call from Fadnavis regarding the sharp fall in onion prices, attributed to bumper production and disruptions in exports to Bangladesh and some Middle Eastern countries amid ongoing geopolitical issues. “From today, Nafed has started procuring onions at Rs 12.35 per kg. We will support farmers in every possible way. I have also directed authorities to ensure transparency in procurement,” Chouhan said.State govt constituted a panel of senior officials last month to suggest measures to stabilise onion prices, which began falling sharply in mid-March. The opposition has, however, announced protests, demanding a procurement price of Rs 15 per kg and a guaranteed price of Rs 20 per kg.Fadnavis said Centre acted promptly after the state flagged the issue. “Farmers are in severe distress. Onion is a perishable commodity with limited shelf life, making procurement and storage challenging. Despite this, the Union govt, under PM Narendra Modi, has stepped in. This will bring a major relief to the farmers,” the CM said.Chouhan also appealed to farmers to use fertilisers judiciously, in line with the PM’s appeal. “I am not asking farmers to stop using fertilisers, but to avoid excessive usage. Soil testing should be done and fertilisers applied accordingly. This will also help save foreign exchange,” he said, adding that efforts were under way to ensure adequate fertiliser availability.Fadnavis announced that state govt was likely to declare a farm loan waiver before June 30. Farmers who have repaid loans regularly would also be given incentives, he said.Centre-state meeting on sugar industryAddressing concerns over the struggling sugar industry, Chouhan invited Fadnavis to New Delhi for a joint meeting with Union ministers to explore solutions. The sugar sector is facing financial stress due to low sugar prices and high procurement costs for sugar cane. Fadnavis said a meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah was scheduled in the coming week to address the issue.Push for simultaneous electionsChouhan also reiterated support for conducting Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously. “Frequent elections disrupt development work and incur huge costs. If elections are held together, govts can function smoothly for five years and save significant public funds. We, therefore, need to support the determination of PM Modi to hold elections for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha simultaneously,” Chouhan said.12.9L affordable houses built: CMThe CM said Centre had approved nearly 13 lakh housing units for Maharashtra, of which 12.9 lakh have already been built. Additionally, approval has been received for 30 lakh more houses, which are expected to benefit around 1.25 crore people, he said, adding that 15 lakh new housing units would be constructed next year.