Nashik onion farmers blocked the Mumbai-Agra Highway at three places in Maharashtra on Friday. They have also decided to stop onion auctions in wholesale markets of the district indefinitely after the government announced a ban on onion exports staple. To increase domestic availability and to keep prices in check, the central government has banned onion exports till March 31 of next year.
Angry farmers stopped auctions at onion markets of Lasalgaon, Chandwad, Nandgaon, Dindori, Yeola, Umarane and other places in Nashik district, a major production centre of the commodity located around 200 km from Mumbai. According to officials, auctions were not held at Lasalgaon Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), but the exercise was conducted at Vinchur and Niphad sub-committees of Lasalgaon APMC.
Hundreds of growers gathered on the Mumbai-Agra Highway and blocked the road using tractors for some time. Farmers also set up blockades at Jaikheda, Chandwad, Umarane, Nandgaon and Mungse in Malegaon to protest against the governmental decision.
Source: ndtvprofit.com