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Why onion prices are bringing tears to farmers’ eyes? Read here

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The Narendra Modi government may have promised to double farm incomes by 2022, but farmers in the country’s onion-growing regions are appalled at the bizarre market dynamics that keep its retail price hovering between Rs 20-30 a kilogram while they struggle to get even 10-20 per cent of the final cost.

The constant fall in prices and subsequent lower remuneration in the past few weeks has led to outbursts and protests where farmers have thrown tonnes of onions on roads, while one farmer made national news by sending his meagre returns to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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Onion farmers blame the government and its arbitrary policies on exports and procurement for their plight.

According to the Food Ministry, on Thursday, onions were sold for Rs 27 per kg in Delhi, for Rs 22 in Mumbai, for Rs 25 in Kolkata and for Rs 16 in Chennai. The retail prices were higher by Rs 2-5 last week.

At Nashik’s Lasalgaon, the country’s largest wholesale market for onions, prices for onions harvested in summer have fallen to Rs 100-300 per quintal while fresh arrivals have managed to get an average of Rs 800-1,000 per quintal.

Notably, the input cost for cultivation of a kilo of onions has been fixed at Rs 8.50 by the Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (DOGR), a constituent body of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Sanjay Sathe, an onion grower from Nashik, came into the limelight a few days ago after he sent a money-order of Rs 1,064 to Modi as a mark of protest.

“I did not sell a part of onions I cultivated this summer due to the prevailing low prices. However, I was forced to sell it now as I had no money. I was shocked when I received just Rs 1,064 for 750 kg,” Sathe said.

“I paid Rs 400 to clean those onions and Rs 750 for transportation. So what I have been left with in the end? Nothing!”

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Aghast at the gloomy side of the market dynamics, Sathe sent the money-order to awaken the government to the situation. Last year, he sold onions at Rs 3,000 per quintal. He says the authorities do not have an answer for the sharp slump in prices this year.

Anoop Kumar, Principal Secretary of Maharashtra’s Marketing Department, said the onion crop that hits the market in winter has a short shelf life, which may have led to the low procurement price.

“We are aware of the low prices. We have operationalised a scheme to provide 50 per cent subsidy on the transportation if onions are sold in other states,” Kumar told IANS.

The situation is similar in other onion-producing states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

Farmer activist Kedar Sirohi said the remuneration to onion growers in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has fallen to as low as Rs 1 per kg.

“Due to the advancement in transportation and communication, prices remain more or less the same in the adjoining states. In Neemuch (in Madhya Pradesh), one farmer received just Rs 2,300 for 2,100 kg of onion he sold on Wednesday. So, roughly, Rs 1 per kg,” said Sirohi, who is the president of the Aam Kisan Union.

Lasalgaon APMC Market Chairman Jaydatta Holkar said the government’s inconsistent export policies and additional procurement were to be blamed.

“There have been so many flip-flops on the export policies in last few years that we have lost credibility in the international market. There is now greater demand for onions from Pakistan,” said Holkar.

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“Also, the government procured a huge amount of onions though the NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation) last year. It sent a wrong signal in the market that there is no demand,” said Holkar.

India exported 24,15,739 tonnes of onions in 2016-17 but this reduced to 15,88,985 tonnes in 2017-18, as per Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

Around 8,31,645 tonnes of onions have been exported since April this year.

Holkar asked for an increase in the incentives for onion exports under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) from the current five per cent to 10 per cent.

Sathe said he received a call from a Maharashtra government official seeking details about his land and crop yield and if he was a part of any political outfit.

“There was just a phone call. I do not know who it was, except that it was a government official. Nothing has happened since then,” he said.

A senior Agriculture Ministry official said cognisance had been taken of the situation but no decision has been taken so far.

The ministry cannot intervene until a state approaches it for implementing the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), which is designed to protect farmers from making distress sales, said the official, who requested anonymity.

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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.

The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.

Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.

For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.

During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.

Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.

Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .

Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.

In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.

In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.

He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.

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