India: Onion farmers call for MEP lift
Last Thursday the average price was Rs 2,400 per quintal, which is a decrease of Rs 550 per quintal.The onion currently sold in the market is of lal (red) variety also known as rangda or late kharif onion. The shelf life of this product is a fortnight.
The stored stocks of the unhal variety have been exhausted and the new unhal crop will be available from April 2016 onwards.
Mr Patil said that arrivals have increased and are expected to continue. “Today over 1,000 tractors arrived with onions in Lasalgaon alone. This crop, being perishable, needs to be consumed immediately and can’t be stored. There is abundant quantity for domestic use,” Mr Patil said.
“Exporters have told me that onions can only be exported if the MEP is brought down. If not sold off or exported, there will be a glut in the market,” he added.
The present MEP is $700 per ton.
Source: asianage.com
