The opposition Congress staged a protest in Maharashtra’s Pune city on Wednesday demanding the withdrawal of the 40 per cent duty imposed on onion exports and accused the BJP-led Centre of being anti-farmer.
Carrying onion garlands, Congress state president Nana Patole along with agitating farmers and many Congress leaders held a rasta roko. I met several onion growers and traders here at the market in Chakan. By imposing a 40 per cent duty on exports of the onions, the government has rubbed salt on the wounds of farmers, he said.
Asked about the government’s assurance of procuring onions through NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF), Patole said everyone is aware of the condition of NAFED. “Onion is a perishable commodity and if NAFED buys the produce after 10 days and if the produce gets damaged, will the government pay compensation, he asked.
He called the Centre anti-farmer. Patole said if the government claims that it is really sensitive towards the farmers, then it has to lift this 40 per cent duty. He said, If onions are exported, then farmers will get some money. But the BJP at the Centre wants farmers to not earn money and instead remain debt-ridden. Onion auctions at most of the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Market Committee (APMC) markets in Nashik, including Asia’s biggest wholesale onion market at Lasalgaon, have been closed as traders are against the hike in the export duty on the kitchen staple.