Farmer body Shetkari Sanghatana has threatened to stop onion auctions from October 7 unless the government lifts the ban on export. Farmer bodies and traders had earlier threatened to stop trading from October 7 if the government did not respond to their demand and also revoke the stock limits. Last week, the Centre had banned export of onion and set stock limits for wholesalers at 500 quintal.
As a result, onion prices fell 25-30% in a week in wholesale markets of Maharashtra to trade at an average price of Rs 2,700 per quintal. Last week, onions arrivals were about 20,000 quintal in Pimpalgaon and 12,000 quintal at Lasalgaon. The average wholesale onion prices had crashed by Rs 600 per quintal from — Rs 4,500 per quintal on September 19 to Rs 2,700 per quintal on Friday in district mandis following imposition of stock limits.