A farmer from Maharashtra’s Paithan has once again highlighted the worsening agrarian crisis after receiving just Re 1 from the sale of his onion crop, according to Times of India report.
Prakash Galadhar, a 45-year-old farmer from Varudi village in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, sold 25 sacks of onions at the Paithan APMC but earned only Rs 1,262 in total — effectively Re 1 per kg. After deductions towards transport, weighing, storage and other charges, he was left with no earnings and was instead asked to pay Re 1.
"I tried to sell onions cultivated on four acres on May 3. After getting very poor prices, I threw away the rest of the produce with a very heavy heart," Galadhar said.
The receipt showing the Re 1 balance has since gone viral on social media, becoming a symbol of the deep onion price crisis in Maharashtra, where many farmers say cultivation is no longer financially sustainable.
Galadhar said the losses have worsened his debt burden. "I got my daughter married off a couple of years ago and still have to repay money to different people. The onion crisis has left me dejected," he said.
Traders blamed the crash on oversupply and poor quality produce. Ibrahim Bagwan, a licensed trader at the Paithan APMC, said, "Before making a deal, we had told him that he was not going to gain anything."
"Despite that, Galadhar insisted on selling his onions with the hope of getting some govt help later," he added, noting that better-quality onions are currently selling for Rs 400-800 per 100 kg.
Market officials admitted the issue reflects a wider imbalance in the onion economy. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar APMC chairman Radhakisan Pathade said, "There is a big mismatch between demand and supply of onions, with huge quantities of produce arriving in local markets. The current purchase and export policies of govt need to be modified to address the issue."
He said onion prices have fallen to nearly Rs 400 per 100 kg, far below sustainable levels for farmers.
"The farmers should get at least Rs 1,200 per 100 kg if not more. However, the skewed ratio between demand and supply is offering throwaway prices," Pathade said.
Political leaders also criticised the government's handling of the situation. "Govt does nothing but make announcements. Today, the onion-growing farmers are utterly distraught. Govt must provide farmers with a guaranteed support price. If the crisis continues, no farmer will yield onion crops," said Kalyan Kale, Congress MP from Jalna.
State agriculture minister Dattatray Bharne was unavailable for comment.
(With TOI inputs)
