Summer onion crops across Nashik district in India have been affected by unseasonal rainfall, with production for the 2026 season expected to decline by 12% to 15%, according to initial assessments by the state agriculture department.
Damage has been reported across more than 4,500 hectares in five talukas. Malegaon recorded the highest impact with 1,646 hectares affected, followed by Satana with 1,598 hectares. Additional losses were reported across 950 hectares in Nandgaon, Niphad, and Sinnar.
The total area under summer onion cultivation in Nashik had already decreased by around 10% to 160,000 hectares, compared to 180,000 hectares in the previous season. Production is now projected to fall from 3.9 million tons last year to approximately 3.4 million tons this season.
Heavy rain and hailstorms on Thursday affected nearly 7,000 hectares of crops in the district. Summer onions accounted for the largest share of losses, while pomegranate orchards were also affected, with 1,377 hectares damaged, including 1,264 hectares in Malegaon.
Market arrivals of summer onions have increased in the past 10 days, although late kharif onions continue to dominate supply, accounting for around 80% of volumes. At Lasalgaon APMC, approximately 360 tons of summer onions were auctioned, with an average price of Rs1,250 (US$15) per quintal and a range between Rs555 (US$6.7) and Rs1,500 (US$18) per quintal. Late kharif onions averaged Rs890 (US$10.7) per quintal, with 1,020 tons traded.
Growers reported that prices have remained below production costs in recent months. "The cost of production is around Rs1,800 (US$21.7) per quintal. We suffer heavy losses if the selling price falls below that. Prices have remained below cost for months now. We want the state govt to provide a grant of Rs1,500 (US$18) per quintal to farmers who have sold onions at a loss," said farmer Nivrutti Nyaharkar.
Summer onions play a role in supply continuity due to their storage life of six to seven months, compared to 25 to 30 days for kharif and late kharif onions. They are harvested between March and April and supply the market until mid-October. Disruptions in production can affect availability in later months.
Source: The Times of India
