LOKMAT NEWS NETWORK
Lohoner, Oct 17
Farmers have alleged that citing interest of onion producers, the union government is buying summer onion through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) in the second phase. While the stock of onions is in the last phase, the NCCF is emphasising the advertisement. In fact, the procurement from the federation of some of the farmer producer companies mentioned have been shut down. Therefore, the procurement of onion is being advertised only, and the onion producers are not getting any benefit from it.
Due to the imposition of a 40 percent export duty on onion exports by the union government, traders and exporters along with onion producers are in trouble. While there was anger about it, the government made a desperate attempt to show compassion towards the farmers. However, the proportion among the cost of production, storage period, and yield has been disrupted. Buyer organisations set criteria, but rates are not given in comparison to the cost of production and storage period. Both these organisations acted as subcontractors to the Federation of Farmer Producer Companies. In this, the NCCF has created confusion in this year's late onion procurement. More than 2000 farmers are deprived of a subsidy of Rs 350 per quintal.
Moreover, there is no clue as to where the 1.5 lakh tonnes of onion in the first phase was procured. Since no information was given at that time, work was done confidentially. Now there are advertisements only. When contacted, it is said that the procurement is closed. Farmers are questioning as to why the NAFED and NCCF are advertising so much in such a situation. There are procurement centres in Niphad, Chandwad, Dindori, Malegaon, Deola, Nandgaon, Kalwan, and Satana talukas of Nashik district. However, there are no onion procurement centres in Yeola and Sinnar talukas, where the onions are produced more.
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In spite of no available onion, lakhs of rupees are spent in advertisements. However, when the procurement centre is contacted, people are told that the purchase is closed. Due to this, the farmers are being inconvenienced and misled. Then, why does the advertisement repeatedly mention the procurement centres. They should stop the expenditure on advertisements from the government treasury, and give the benefits to the onion producers.
- Bharat Dighole, President, Maharashtra State Onion Growers Farmers Association
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All things are misleading. The farmer does not get any benefit. If the government wants to implement this procurement honestly, then the record of all the onions purchased should be shared with the farmers and the market committees.
- Shyam Mogal, Farmer, Kasbe Sukene
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There doesn’t seem to be any purchase by the NCCF. Onions are being bought at Rs 1800 to Rs 2000 per quintal from farmers and looted by making bills of Rs 2400 to Rs 2450 per quintal.
- Kuber Jadhav, Coordinator, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana