Nashik: Unseasonal rains spoil onion harvest, farmers forced to sell at lower prices

The farmers in Malegaon were optimistic about receiving profitable returns for their onion harvest this year. Unfortunately, their hopes have been dampened by untimely rains, which pose a threat to the stored onions in warehouses, potentially causing them to spoil. Additionally, with the upcoming kharif season, farmers require funds to purchase seeds, fertilizers, and hire workers. Consequently, they have resorted to selling their stored produce at a reduced price.

In the past few days, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) witnessed a significant surge in the arrival of onions. Reports indicate that over 20,000 quintals of onions were transported to the Mungse onion trade centre on June 15 alone. This large quantity of onions was carried by a total of 1,466 vehicles, which included 580 tractors and 566 smaller vehicles.

The auction extended well into the evening, with high-quality onions fetching prices ranging from Rs 775 to Rs 1,177. Medium-quality onions were sold at prices between Rs 575 and Rs 725, while the average market price settled at Rs 785. According to sources, farmers still have a significant quantity of onions in their possession, and the inflow of onions into the market is expected to persist for several more days.