While We Are Paying Over Rs 100/Kg, Thousands Of Tonnes Of Imported Onion May 'Rot' In Godowns
The Centre is offering onions to states at Rs 55 per kg landed cost but ¡°the key kitchen staple may rot in godowns¡± as states have shown ¡°little interest in buying them¡± despite government's offer to bear transportation cost.
Onion prices in retail and vegetable stores began to rise by September-end and touched a high of Rs 170 per kg in December. The middle class and the poor were the worst hit, unable to afford the staple in most Indian kitchens and literally compelled to drop it from their meals.
Several restaurant owners also came forward to express their worry over the exorbitant price that it shot up to. So much so that ¡°Onion dosa¡± literally went off-menu from several leading south Indian restaurants while some replaced it with cabbage in other dishes.
1973 :: Shopkeeper Selling Vegetables , Onions are Selling at Very Affordable Rates, Customer Is Smiling, No Tears Due to Onion Price pic.twitter.com/rr9ABHbKKv
¡ª indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) November 6, 2019
Just as this horrendous saga was playing out on the national scale, a video surfaced on social media that clearly underlined the problems faced by the farmers.
A poor farmer from Maharashtra was seen crying over the ridiculous price he got for his onion. The video that went viral on social media brought to the conscience of the nation that the farmer who hailed from Ahmednagar had to sell his crop at a mere Rs 8 per kg.
This is so heartbreaking!
¡ª Sunil Ahire (@SunilAh64145529) November 10, 2019
A poor farmer from Ahmednagar, #Maharashtra got a measly Rs 8/kg for his onion produce. He is devastated & doesn't know how he is going to pay labourers or feed his family.
This is what the man busy trying to save his CM's chair has done for farmers! pic.twitter.com/Zv8sZHMUkw
¡°I had to employ labourers to pick onions from the field in rain,¡± the devastated farmer is heard saying in the video. ¡°How do I pay for them? What should I take home to feed my family?¡± he asked, before alleging that the government was insensitive towards the farmers and had no interest in their distress.
But, he was not the only one. Thousands of farmers strive day and night to produce the crops that feed the country¡¯s population at large. They have been a neglected lot since decades but the unsparing inequality between the price that they are paid for the crop and the retail price of the same item, saw an unprecedented rise over the past couple of years.
Now compare this to a statement made by Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and a study in contrast emerges -- one that is a shame on an agro-based economy such as India¡¯s.
Paswan said the Centre is offering onions to states at Rs 55 per kg landed cost but he expressed worry over the fact that ¡°the key kitchen staple may rot in godowns¡± as states have shown ¡°little interest in buying them¡± despite its offer to bear transportation cost.
Notably, while the Centre alone can import onions, it is entirely dependent on states for retailing them to consumers.
"So far, we have contracted (import of) 36,000 tonnes of onion. Of which, 18,500 tonnes of shipment has reached India, but states have taken only 2,000 tonnes that too after much persuasion. We are worried about its disposal because it is a perishable commodity," Paswan told reporters.
"Tomorrow, someone should not go to court and say imported onions were rotting," he said.
He said the Centre is offering imported onions at an average cost of Rs 55 per kg and also bearing the entire transportation cost. Despite all, the state governments are not coming forward to buy them.
As per government data, retail onion prices average Rs 50 per kg in most markets. The data showed onion being priced at Rs 50 per kg in the national capital but local vendors were selling it for Rs 70-80 a kg.
Asked why prices are still high despite imports, Paswan said, "The imports are being done to improve the domestic supply and check prices. If state governments are not ready to take the imported onions, what can we do?"
So far, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal governments have taken the imported onions. Many states have withdrawn their demand, he added.
Sources attributed by news agency PTI said the taste of imported onions is different from the homegrown ones and consumers are not buying them when the domestic onion is available at the same rate.
