Maha farmers protest against Centre's 40 percent duty on onion export

The national government's plan to increase the export duty on onions to 40% has sparked protests among farmers in Maharashtra who claim that the decision will result in their losses due to the high export charge and lower local market prices for onions.

Amid protests, state Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde said he would speak with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday and try to find some amicable solution to the issue. A day after the Central government imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions till December 31, 2023, wholesale markets at Satana, Malegaon and Lasalgaon (In Nashik district), in Ahmednagar, and at Manchar and Khed in Pune district saw protests by farmers.

Munde’s cabinet colleague Chhagan Bhujbal said he would raise the onion export duty issue with the state deputy chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole alleged that the BJP-Shiv Sena government is pro-industrialists and pro-businessmen.

The state government is trying hard to keep the prices of onions low and it doesn’t care about the interests of farmers. We condemn this decision (to impose the export duty on onions) of the Union government, he said.