Sharad Pawar blames Central govt's policies for increasing onion prices

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday blamed the central government's policies for the increasing prices of onion and said he would speak to the Centre about the stock limit imposed on the commodity traders.

While talking to onion growers and traders in Nashik district of Maharashtra, Pawar said a comprehensive policy is needed regarding lifting of the export ban and stock limit of onion, and it should cover interests of all stakeholders. Onions in the retail markets are being sold at Rs 80 to Rs 100 per kg in Mumbai.

To contain onion prices, the Centre last week imposed stock holding limit on retail and wholesale traders till December 31 to improve the domestic availability of the key kitchen staple and provide relief to consumers.

Retailers can stock up onion up to 2 tonne, whereas wholesale traders are allowed to keep up to 25 tonne, it said.

Onion auctions remained closed on the second consecutive day in all the 15 Agriculture Produce Market Committees (mandis) of Nashik district, including the Lasalgaon APMC.

Pawar on Wednesday requested traders to reopen the markets for auction, and said banning export and promoting import was contradictory and the stock limit condition should also be removed. Pawar told farmers that one must not expect too much from the Maharashtra government as all decisions relating to import and export of onions were taken by Central government level.

He further said the Centre had excluded onion from the list of essential commodities and at the same time, there were raids against traders.

"I don''t think the instructions came from the state government," the former Union agriculture minister said.

Nashik has always been known for growing quality onion and rise and fall in market prices affect onion the most, he added.