Onions made everyone to shed
tears for the lack of sufficient stocks due to low production. There is a
saying that whenever there is a hike in onion prices the existing government
were in trouble. The 2014 elections campaign also marked onion prices issue in
different parties’ agenda. Essential Commodity price like Onions and pulses prices
are playing a major part in maintaining consumer confidence on government.
Government price support to farmers also has a major role to ensure farmers
stick to producing onions and pulses in India as per the current and future
demand.
Comparing two different news
posts published in last year 29th October 2015 in economic times
(Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/onion-prices-start-rising-again-on-tight-supply/articleshow/49581152.cms)
and news post on 31 Jan 2016 in Indian Express (Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/onion-prices-hit-rock-bottom-across-maharashtra/)
clearly shows the adamant nature of our Governments and agricultural market
federations to contain the issue.
Last year the consumers were hit
hard due to lack of stocks and high prices that touched Rs.100, This year the
farmers were made scape goats out last year shortage. There was a stage where state
governments in Andhra and Telangana supplied onions through Government outlets
at subsidized prices to satisfy their vote bank. Farmers across Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka sowed onion crop in lacs of hectares in
a hope that the corp will have good demand after a lean season in mid 2015.
Now the same farmers were
allowing their cattle to feed on the crop in the fields as they is no price for
onions from the market mediators and no minimum price support from government.
It is shocking to understand why government is unable to learn lessons from
previous years.
CAN ANY ONE KNOW WHAT KIND OF SUSTAINABLE
MANAGEMENT SET UP IS ESTABLISHED TO CONTAIN DEMAND VS PRODUCTION OF ONION even
after years of struggle to uphold onion prices??
How can the farmer trust Government
next time when government appeals to cultivate any corp that is in shortage??
Who are to be blamed for this
confusion??
Why the central and state
governments are unable to buy the abundant stock, stack and store them for
tough time and regulate the market???
Does the Indian agri market have
the potential to store the abundant stock???
A few recommendations from a common man like me….
·
Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India
should create a apex body similar to Cotton Corporation of India to contain
Onion supply and demand.
·
Arrange storage facilities at key onion
producing clusters in various states to stock onions for peak demand seasons
and fight low yield seasons.
·
Central Government should announce state wise minimum
support price to support farmer and encourage him to cultivate onion corp
season by season.
·
Central Government should create an online
platform to track the onion production and pricing at various production
clusters to ensure a transparent affair for consumers and farmers.
