‘How Will I Live?’: Farmer Cries After Selling Onions at Rs 8/Kg

The Ahmedabad farmer said he sold his crop at only Rs 8 per kg. Prices have seen a sharp spike over the last month.

He lashed out at the government saying that they do not care about the farmers and their distress.

(Photo Courtesy: @SunilAh64145529/Altered by The Quint)

A video of a farmer in Maharashtra, crying over the 'record low' price in exchange for his onion crop, has been circulating online. The video went viral on Sunday, 10 November and was shared online by several leaders, including Congress' Priyanka Gandhi and party spokesperson Sunil Ahire.

The farmer from Ahmedabad said that he sold his crop at only Rs 8 per kg. Onion prices have seen a sharp spike over the last month.

The Quint has not been able to verify when the video was shot.

“I had to employ labourers to pick onions from the field in rain,” said the devastated farmer.

“Now, how do I pay them? What will I take home to feed my family?” he added.

Crying, he lashed out at the government saying that they do not care about the farmers and their distress.

'What is This Plight of Farmers?': Priyanka Attacks BJP Govt

Gandhi tweeted about the incident and attacked the government over farmers allegedly not getting the right price for onions.

“What is the plight of farmers under the BJP government? To stop the rising prices of onions, they are being imported, but our farmers do not get the right price for their onions which they have grown with their hard work,” she said.

“The farmer is getting Rs 8 per kg of onion and onion is being sold at Rs 100 per kg in the market. What is happening?” she added.

Why is There a Price Hike?

Last week, retail prices have increased to Rs 100 per kg in the national capital and in the range of Rs 60-80 per kg in other parts of the country, as per trade data.

While the prices of onions had touched Rs 80 per kilogram in August and September, prices have shot up now due to a shortage triggered by unseasonal rainfall leading to crop damage in the main onion growing zones in Maharashtra.

Rains have been battering the key onion growing zones over the last two weeks and an Indian Express report indicated that extensive damage to onions was caused by rains in Nashik, Ahmednagar and Pune.

Several farmers have already expressed grave concerns over the rains as most of them are now selling old stocks as all new onions have been damaged.

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday, 9 November said that it has decided to import 1 lakh tonnes of onion to control prices that have shot up.

(With inputs from PTI, The Indian Express)