'Onion politics' heats up Maharashtra as BJP, NCP spar over price rise

State CM Eknath Shinde said that there should not be politics on the issue of farmers.

The political landscape in Maharashtra has heated up yet again over onions with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi targeting the BJP-led Centre and state government even as two-term union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s NCP group demanded Rs 4,000 per quintal procurement price. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance government, said that there should not be politics on the issue of farmers. 

The NCP’s demand came hours after the Centre announced that it will procure 5 lakh tonnes of onion at a rate of Rs 2,410 per quintal in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

“The figure of Rs 2,410 falls short of meeting farmers' genuine requirements…a more substantial rate of Rs 4,000 per quintal would demonstrate the government's sincere commitment to alleviating the struggles of the farming community,” NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said. 

“The NCP's dedication to the welfare of farmers remains steadfast as we opposed the central government's imposition of a 40 per cent arbitrary export duty on onions,” added Tapase. 

Meanwhile, state Congress President Nana Patole said due to the hike in export duty on onions to 40 percent, there is widespread displeasure among the farmers as the onion prices have dropped. “Fearing backlash from the farmers, the state government is running to the central government and claiming that it will buy onions through NAFED. Buying onions via NAFED is misleading for the farmers. Why isn't the central government reducing the 40 percent export duty?,” asked Patole. 

"Even in the past, after the decline in onion prices, the state government had announced that they would purchase onions through NAFED. However, the reality is that NAFED did not purchase the onions, nor did they buy pulses like toor, chickpeas, or cotton. Onions are perishable and if they get spoilt, will the government compensate the farmers? The BJP government is weakening the financial situation of the farmers,” he said. 

Shinde, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal for helping out the farmers. 

“Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde went to Delhi… Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is  in Japan also discussed the issue,” he said. 

From Japan, Fadnavis, in a statement said  the Centre had decided to purchase two lakh tonnes of onions, and in Maharashtra, purchase centers would be opened at Nashik and Ahmednagar to buy the produce at Rs 2,410 per quintal.

Due to this, onion producers of the state would get significant relief,” Fadnavis added.

Reacting to the statement, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said: “Who is the Chief Minister  of Maharashtra?  Fadnavis made an announcement on the issue of onion farmers after a phone call from Japan to our Union ministers. Why did  Shinde not do it?  Despite the Chief Minister and another Deputy Chief Minister being present in the state, an announcement was made from Japan," he said.