MUMBAI: The Centre has agreed to allow NCCF and NAFED to purchase onions directly from farmers, said CM Devendra Fadnavis after a meeting with union Home minister Amit Shah and union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
Fadnavis on Wednesday led a delegation of ministers to Delhi to discuss the minimum support price issue. Those accompanying Fadnavis included Dy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, ministers Dada Bhuse, Chhagan Bhujbal and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.
Farmers and the opposition have been staging protests in the state demanding Rs 3000 per quintal as minimum support price issue.
Currently the Maharashtra government has announced a procurement price of Rs 1,580 per quintal for onions. However, farmers and Opposition parties are demanding the rate be increased to Rs 3,000 per quintal.
Fadnavis said they have asked the Centre that NAFED and NCCF should purchase ten lakh tonnes instead of two lakh tonnes. “We are expecting a positive decision on it. We have suggested other interventions too which the Centre is considering,” he said.
Fadnavis said onion seeds are being exported on a large scale owing to which onions do not have an export market.
“Hence we have suggested a surcharge on export of onion seeds,” he said adding the purchase price for onion has already been raised to Rs 15.80 per kg.
Fadnavis said with regards to grading of onions, farmers had complained that often onions were graded as below par and rejected. He said union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan had assured that scientific equipment will be used for grading.
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eid 2026Clara Lewis is a Senior Editor (Government & Policy). She enjoys ...
Read MoreClara Lewis is a Senior Editor (Government & Policy). She enjoys meeting people, reading and travel, and keeps her eye on the changing face of the city and its rapid evolving demographic profile.
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