In protest of the 40% increase in export duty for the crop till December, wholesale onion dealers in the Nashik APMCs went on indefinite strike for the second time in a month.
The increase in the export tariff would make it harder to export vegetables and will result in significant losses for the agricultural sector, which is already struggling as a result of this year’s absent monsoon.
In response to the strike action, which raised concerns about shortages and a rise in retail prices ahead of the holiday season, Marketing Minister Abdul Sattar threatened harsh measures against the merchants.
Rollback of the export tax on onions is one of the requests made by the merchants, among others.
Similar protests by onion wholesalers were put off last month thanks to the intervention of district-resident and Union minister Bharti Pawar.
The Centre reportedly broke its promise that NAFED would buy onions from farmers, and the producers received less than the guaranteed amount of Rs 2,410 per quintal, which sparked the protest last month.
Over 18,000 quintals of onions were auctioned off at the Nashik APMCs for about Rs 2,000 per quintal to start off this week.
Depending on size and quality, onions now sell for between Rs 20 and Rs 25 per kilogram in metropolitan areas like Mumbai.
