The failure to recover production cost with the yield and quality declining because of intermittent hailstorms and unseasonal rain across the district in February and March has left onion growers a worried lot.

On an average, a farmer has to spend up to Rs 50,000 per acre to grow onions. But most farmers are unable to recover their production cost, as half of their yield has been lost because of the hailstorms. And the onion that is being harvested is of poor quality and getting lower rates — a maximum of Rs 200 a quintal.

Shankar Pachpute, a farmer from Patoda village near Lasalgaon in Niphad taluka, who sold his produce at Lasalgaon APMC on Thursday, said, "Up to 50 per cent crops were damaged in the recent hailstorms and unseasonal rain. I could cultivate 19 quintals of onions, but the quality was low because of bad weather conditions. I got the rate of Rs 300 a quintal and earned Rs 5,700. I had spent around 25,000 for growing onions. Moreover, vehicle cost for brining the produce to the APMC was Rs 1,400. I could not even recover my production cost."

Khandu Nagarre, a farmer from Lasalgaon tehsil, said, "I had 50 acres under rabi onion cultivation and expected around 60 quintals a acre as crop in good condition. My expenses per acre were Rs 45,000. But the recent hailstorms damaged the crops and I could harvest only 300 quintals of onions. As the quality of onions was not good, I received rates in the range of Rs 300 to Rs 400 a quintal. I suffered huge losses due to damage of the crop in the hailstorm."

Lasalgaon APMC officials said the average wholesale onion prices increased marginally by Rs 30 a quintal to Rs 940 a quintal on Thursday, as against Rs 910 a quintal on Wednesday. The arrival declined to 9,500 quintals on Thrusday, as against 14,000 quintals on Wednesday. Of the total arrival, the quantum of good quality onions was around 20 per cent, while the rest were of poor quality that are getting low rates between Rs 200 and Rs 700 a quintal. Good quality onions are getting rates up to Rs 1,500 a quintal.

In Lasalgoan APMC, the average wholesale price was recorded at Rs 940 a quintal on Thursday. The minimum and maximum prices were recorded at Rs 250 and Rs 1,336 a quintal, respectively. Around 9,500 quintals of onions were auctioned at Lasalgaon on Thursday.

The average wholesale onion price at Pimpalgaon was recorded at Rs 900 a quintal on Thursday. The minimum and maximum prices were recorded at Rs 300 and Rs 1,819 a quintal, respectively. Around 11,500 quintals of onions were auctioned at Pimpalgaon on Thursday.

In Yeola, the average wholesale onion price was recorded at Rs 700 a quintal on Thursday. The minimum and maximum prices were recorded at Rs 100 and Rs 1,553 a quintal, respectively. Around 3,000 quintals of onions were auctioned at Yeola on Thursday.

Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/