Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, 27 May announced that a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi has produced a package of relief measures for onion growers, sugarcane farmers, and the sugar industry across Maharashtra. The decisions cover procurement price support, expanded storage infrastructure, debt restructuring for cooperative sugar mills, and financial assistance for Alphonso (Hapus) mango growers hit by recent natural calamities.

Key Decisions on Onion Procurement

To insulate onion farmers from volatile market prices, Union Minister Amit Shah directed NAFED and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF) to launch large-scale procurement at a fixed rate of ₹1,580 per quintal. Procurement capacity is proposed to be scaled up from the current 2 lakh tonnes to 10 lakh tonnes — a fivefold increase. The Centre also indicated it would take steps to boost onion exports and expand modern warehouses along with sorting and grading facilities for better post-harvest management.

Sugarcane and Sugar Industry Relief

The demands of sugarcane farmers and sugar mills received a favourable response at the meeting, according to Shinde. The Centre signalled a supportive stance on increasing the ethanol production quota, reviewing the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for sugar, and restructuring debts of cooperative sugar mills. Additionally, an assurance was given to resolve pending Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) grievances of sugarcane cutters swiftly. Shinde said a balanced policy on commercial and domestic sugar prices would be maintained so that consumers are not burdened with additional costs.

Mango Growers and Broader Cooperative Sector

In a separate announcement, Shinde said the Maharashtra government has decided to extend financial assistance to Alphonso (Hapus) mango growers who suffered crop losses due to recent natural calamities, with support to be channelled through existing government schemes. Speaking to reporters, he also highlighted broader cooperative sector reforms under the Ministry of Cooperation — established under Prime Minister Narendra Modi — including tax concessions for cooperative societies, computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), and expansion of rural services.

What the Government Said

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde described the meeting as 'extremely positive and decisive', saying the decisions would bring significant relief to lakhs of onion growers, sugarcane farmers, labourers, and sugar industry stakeholders. He added that prioritising farmers' welfare through these measures would strengthen Maharashtra's rural economy and accelerate growth in its agriculture and cooperative sectors.

What Comes Next

Implementation timelines for the procurement scale-up, debt restructuring, and EPF resolution were not immediately specified, though the assurances given at the ministerial meeting signal near-term government action. Industry bodies and farmer groups in Maharashtra are expected to closely track the rollout of each commitment, particularly the fivefold expansion in onion procurement capacity and the sugar MSP review.