Maharashtra: Onion Prices Surge in Nashik's Lasalgaon Mandi

Nashik, February 20: Onion prices have surged in Nashik's Lasalgaon Mandi, said mandi traders in the area on Saturday. "After the arrival of summer variety of crops, the average wholesale price of onion in Lasalgaon's Agricultural produce market committee (APMC) has increased by Rs 970 per quintal to Rs 4200-4500 in the last two days. The rate was Rs 3,600 per quintal on Tuesday," Lahu Dabey, a mandi trader told ANI.

"The average summer onion price in Lasalgaon was around Rs 4250-4,551 per quintal on Saturday, while it was recorded at Rs 3,870 per quintal for the Kharif variety. Nowadays, a better quality of summer crop is coming to the market," said another trader. Onion Export Ban Lifted, Government Allows Export of All Varieties of Onions from January 1, 2021.

"Onion prices are rising due to rains. They are expected to go up in the coming days. Today's rate ranged between Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500 per quintal," said another trader. Several traders said that the supply of Kharif crops has also come down.

This information comes around a time when farmers across the country are protesting against the recently passed farm laws. One of these laws, namely the Essential Commodities Act was also amended in Parliament.

Last year, Parliament had amended the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to exclude onions -- besides potatoes, edible oils, oilseed and pulses -- from the list of essential commodities, thus freeing them from stock limits.

Many traders, however, felt hopeful and said that once the supply of onions improves from Madhya Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra, the prices of onions will fall in the state.

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