Onion traders of Nashik on Monday began a strike in protest against the cap set by the government on the buying price of onions, but decided to call it off from Tuesday, with the Maharashtra government agreeing to revert its decision.
In a bid to stabilise prices, the government had issued a directive to the traders, stating that onions should not be sold above Rs.40 a kg. The traders in Nashik, one of the largest onion producing regions in the State, protested against this limit and went on a strike.
At market prices
After a meeting, the traders decided to open the markets on Tuesday and carry on trading normally, based on market prices.
Lasalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee Secretary B.Y. Holkar, who was present at the meeting, told The Hindu, “The protest was also against the income-tax raids on some traders here for hoarding. But we realised that if the strike continues, then the farmers will lose out even more.”
Meanwhile, owing to the closure of markets in Nashik, farmers brought their produce directly to the APMC Market of Vashi and started selling onions at prices as low as Rs.10 a kg, sources said.
