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Onion, green gram prices crash

Last Updated 10 September 2016, 20:08 IST

 An influx of onion crop from North Karnataka region, coupled with a good harvest in neighbouring Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, has sent onion prices crashing and left state farmers in the doldrums.

Prices of onion purchased from farmers at the Amargol Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) here fell so drastically that farmers are demanding that the government must intervene and save them from further losses.

“Onion prices had crossed Rs 2,500 a quintal in April and May last. Pinning hopes on a similar windfall, onion growers increased cultivation. Maharashtra also recorded a good yield. The influx impacted prices and good quality onion is being purchased for Rs 900 a quintal while average quality is priced at Rs 300 a quintal,” APMC Secretary H C Gajendra said.

More than 70 loads of onion from Ramadurg, Bagalkot, Badami, Basavana Bagewadi, Lingsugur and other areas had arrived at the APMC yard on Saturday.

“We used to sell onion to other states earlier. This season, onion has been grown in large quantities in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar as well. Due to low demand, price has dipped,” said APMC trader Suresh Habib.

Rudragouda Ninganagouda, a farmer from Katakol village in Ramadurg taluk, lamented that the current prices of onion were so low that it would be better to bury the crop in the fields instead of harvesting it. The government should help farmers by announcing minimum support price and by procuring onion directly from farmers, he said.

Green gram

The price of green gram has also fallen, and it is being purchased for Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 a quintal. Compared to last year, green gram price had come down by Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 a quintal, trader Shivanna Adargunchi observed.

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(Published 10 September 2016, 20:08 IST)

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