Ajit Pawar Urges Central Government to Swiftly Eliminate 20% Export Duty on Onions to Aid Farmers

Nagpur, Dec 19 (NationPress) In a critical effort to avert backlash from onion cultivators like that seen during the Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Thursday urged the Central Government to swiftly eliminate the 20% export duty on onions to alleviate the plight of farmers.

The abolition of the export duty is essential to protect the interests of onion farmers.

In a letter addressed to Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal, Ajit Pawar emphasized that Nashik district in Maharashtra is notably significant for onion production, showcasing high levels of output.

Onions produced in this region are sold in other Indian states and are also exported extensively to international markets.

“The demand for onions from Nashik is substantial abroad. However, the imposition of the 20% export duty by the Government of India has hindered exports by farmers. Removing the export duty would provide farmers with some relief, helping to recoup part of their losses,” he stated.

He elaborated that the summer onion yield has now been depleted, and fresh yields have started arriving at various market committees throughout Maharashtra.

Nonetheless, the influx of onions in the markets has placed farmers in a challenging situation, where they are neither receiving the Minimum Support Price nor are they able to sell their produce at reasonable rates. Presently, the average price stands at Rs 2,400 per quintal.

“Unseasonal rains and climate variations have already severely impacted the income of onion farmers. If they are forced to sell at prices lower than production costs, they will suffer significant economic losses,” Ajit Pawar remarked.

Previously, Ajit Pawar acknowledged that dissatisfaction among onion growers regarding low prices significantly influenced the poor performance of the ruling MahaYuti alliance during the recent Lok Sabha elections.

He noted that the MahaYuti faced repercussions due to the discontent among farmers in Maharashtra’s onion-producing regions like Nashik, resulting in their subpar election performance.

Former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde remarked that onions had caused tears in Nashik, as did soybean and cotton in Marathwada and Vidarbha during the general elections.

The Central Government had imposed a ban on onion exports in December of the previous year to control retail prices, which sparked protests among farmers in the Nashik region.

This ban was lifted in early May after widespread unrest. The Shiv Sena and BJP lost the Nashik and Dindori seats respectively, while the MahaYuti secured only one seat in Marathwada and two in Vidarbha.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)