Kanda, Kadaknath take centre stage in rural Maharashtra

Kanda and Kadaknath are becoming hot topics in the rural hinterland of Maharashtra as the prices of both have shot up ahead of festive season of Dassera and Diwali.

While 'Kanda' is the Marathi word for onion, 'Kadaknath' is the indigenous species of poultry from Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, also known as the Black Gold of Jhabua and kalamasi, because of its black colour. The demand for Kadaknath is increasing in Maharashtra and are being bred here.

While the prices of Kanda (onions) are shooting, Kadaknath (chicken) rearing is riddled with a scam in the state. The black colour of muscles and tissues is due to the deposition of melanin pigment, a genetic condition called "Fibromelanosis".

As far as onions are concerned, the wholesale price at the APMC in Nashik district's Lasalgaon, one of the biggest onion trading hubs, the prices have shot up to 4,500 per quintal on Thursday. The all-time high was 5,700 per quintal on 22 August, 2015. In the retail markets, it is between Rs 50 to 60 per kg. "There is a shortage in onion growing states," a source said, adding that the jump is coinciding ahead of festive season of Dassera and Diwali.

In the case of Kadaknath, the issue is leading to protests. Earlier this week, when the convey of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was passing from the Sangli district, Kadaknath birds were flunged towards it. As a matter of fact, two private firms had duped poultry farmers across the state by investing in rearing of these chickens. The Kadaknath breed fetches over Rs 600 per bird.

Veteran farmers leader Raju Shetti, the founder of Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana had demanded an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the scam involving a sort of buyback scheme. Farmers have been seeking answers from Sadabhau Khot, the Minister of State for Agriculture in the Fadnavis government. So far, four persons have been arrested by Pune police in connection with the scam.