Farmers across Maharashtra are facing severe financial distress after onion prices plunged sharply in key wholesale markets, leaving growers struggling to recover even basic production costs. From Nashik and Solapur to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, onion cultivators say a combination of bumper arrivals, unseasonal rain and weakening export demand has created one of the toughest seasons in recent years.
According to The Times of India, several farmers have reported devastating losses after selling onions at prices far below the cost of cultivation, with some even returning home in debt after market deductions.
Farmers Forced to Sell Onions at Throwaway Prices
In one of the most shocking cases, Prakash Galadhar, a farmer from Paithan taluka in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, transported 1,262 kilograms of onions to the market last week. However, after deductions for labour, transport and loading charges, his final account reportedly showed that he owed the trader Re 1.
In Satana APMC in Nashik district, farmer Jitendra Solanke brought 30 quintals of onions hoping to recover at least part of his investment. Traders initially offered him just Rs 50 per quintal. After protesting, the price was revised to Rs 175 per quintal, equivalent to only Rs 1.75 per kilogram.
Speaking to The Times of India, Solanke said, “I spent Rs 1,200 per quintal to grow crop. After sale, labour and transport charges, only Rs 500 remained. The loss mounted to Rs 36,000.”
Farmers say rising input costs have made the situation even worse. Expenses related to seeds, fertilisers, diesel, labour and mechanised farming have increased significantly over the past year, while market prices have collapsed.
“We sell onions at Rs 4 to Rs 5 per kg while production cost is over Rs 12,” said farmer Bhausaheb Jagtap from Pune district. “After paying everybody, nothing is left.”
Lasalgaon and Solapur Markets Witness Sharp Price Decline
The price decline has continued since February this year. At Lasalgaon APMC, recognised as India’s largest onion wholesale market and a benchmark for national onion prices, onions are currently selling between Rs 400 and Rs 1,600 per quintal. Farmers claim that nearly 80 per cent of arrivals are fetching less than Rs 800 per quintal.
Meanwhile, at Solapur APMC, arrivals on 13 May reportedly touched 14,756 quintals. Prices ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 1,700 per quintal, or roughly Rs 1 to Rs 17 per kilogram. In comparison, onions were selling between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 per quintal at the same market a year ago.
According to Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra Onion Growers’ Association, farmers require at least Rs 18 per kilogram to break even.
“Losses are massive because nearly 80% of onions are selling between Rs 400 and Rs 800 per quintal,” Dighole told The Times of India.
Export Disruptions and Rain Damage Deepen Crisis
Agricultural experts believe the current crisis has been caused by a combination of oversupply, weak domestic demand and disruptions in export markets linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
“Geopolitical tensions involving Iran, US and Israel disrupted export markets and reduced overseas demand,” said Vikas Singh, vice-president of the Horticulture Produce Exporters’ Association of India.
Adding to farmers’ troubles, unseasonal rainfall between 19 and 21 March damaged a large portion of the summer onion crop in Nashik district just as harvesting began. Excess moisture reportedly caused rotting during storage and reduced overall quality.
“Only 30% of produce was grade-1 quality,” said Prakash Jadhav, head of the onion department at Solapur APMC. “Rain damage and long storage hurt quality.”
The decline in quality has further weakened market prices, leaving farmers unable to secure better returns for their produce.
Farmers Demand Minimum Support Price for Onions
As losses continue to mount, onion growers’ organisations are demanding immediate government intervention. Farmer groups want onions to be brought under a minimum support price (MSP) mechanism, with a proposed MSP of Rs 3,500 per quintal.
Growers are also urging the Maharashtra government to provide compensation of Rs 1,500 per quintal for distress sales suffered during the ongoing season.
Farmer leaders argue that without urgent support measures, many cultivators may struggle to recover financially ahead of the next sowing cycle. With market uncertainty continuing and export demand remaining weak, onion growers across Maharashtra fear that the crisis could deepen further in the coming months.
Inputs from TOI
According to The Times of India, several farmers have reported devastating losses after selling onions at prices far below the cost of cultivation, with some even returning home in debt after market deductions.
Farmers Forced to Sell Onions at Throwaway Prices
In one of the most shocking cases, Prakash Galadhar, a farmer from Paithan taluka in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, transported 1,262 kilograms of onions to the market last week. However, after deductions for labour, transport and loading charges, his final account reportedly showed that he owed the trader Re 1.In Satana APMC in Nashik district, farmer Jitendra Solanke brought 30 quintals of onions hoping to recover at least part of his investment. Traders initially offered him just Rs 50 per quintal. After protesting, the price was revised to Rs 175 per quintal, equivalent to only Rs 1.75 per kilogram.
Speaking to The Times of India, Solanke said, “I spent Rs 1,200 per quintal to grow crop. After sale, labour and transport charges, only Rs 500 remained. The loss mounted to Rs 36,000.”
Farmers say rising input costs have made the situation even worse. Expenses related to seeds, fertilisers, diesel, labour and mechanised farming have increased significantly over the past year, while market prices have collapsed.
“We sell onions at Rs 4 to Rs 5 per kg while production cost is over Rs 12,” said farmer Bhausaheb Jagtap from Pune district. “After paying everybody, nothing is left.”
Lasalgaon and Solapur Markets Witness Sharp Price Decline
The price decline has continued since February this year. At Lasalgaon APMC, recognised as India’s largest onion wholesale market and a benchmark for national onion prices, onions are currently selling between Rs 400 and Rs 1,600 per quintal. Farmers claim that nearly 80 per cent of arrivals are fetching less than Rs 800 per quintal.Meanwhile, at Solapur APMC, arrivals on 13 May reportedly touched 14,756 quintals. Prices ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 1,700 per quintal, or roughly Rs 1 to Rs 17 per kilogram. In comparison, onions were selling between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 per quintal at the same market a year ago.
According to Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra Onion Growers’ Association, farmers require at least Rs 18 per kilogram to break even.
“Losses are massive because nearly 80% of onions are selling between Rs 400 and Rs 800 per quintal,” Dighole told The Times of India.
Export Disruptions and Rain Damage Deepen Crisis
Agricultural experts believe the current crisis has been caused by a combination of oversupply, weak domestic demand and disruptions in export markets linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.“Geopolitical tensions involving Iran, US and Israel disrupted export markets and reduced overseas demand,” said Vikas Singh, vice-president of the Horticulture Produce Exporters’ Association of India.
Adding to farmers’ troubles, unseasonal rainfall between 19 and 21 March damaged a large portion of the summer onion crop in Nashik district just as harvesting began. Excess moisture reportedly caused rotting during storage and reduced overall quality.
“Only 30% of produce was grade-1 quality,” said Prakash Jadhav, head of the onion department at Solapur APMC. “Rain damage and long storage hurt quality.”
The decline in quality has further weakened market prices, leaving farmers unable to secure better returns for their produce.
Farmers Demand Minimum Support Price for Onions
As losses continue to mount, onion growers’ organisations are demanding immediate government intervention. Farmer groups want onions to be brought under a minimum support price (MSP) mechanism, with a proposed MSP of Rs 3,500 per quintal.Growers are also urging the Maharashtra government to provide compensation of Rs 1,500 per quintal for distress sales suffered during the ongoing season.
Farmer leaders argue that without urgent support measures, many cultivators may struggle to recover financially ahead of the next sowing cycle. With market uncertainty continuing and export demand remaining weak, onion growers across Maharashtra fear that the crisis could deepen further in the coming months.
Inputs from TOI
