25 May,2026 03:43 PM IST | Solapur | mid-day online correspondent
Solapur set for ‘jan aakrosh’ protest as onion prices plunge. Representational Pic
Amid mounting anger among onion growers across Maharashtra over the sharp fall in onion prices, the Congress will stage a massive ârasta roko jan aakrosh' protest in Solapur on Tuesday under the leadership of MLA Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde.
Last week, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) accused the Maharashtra government of remaining indifferent to the plight of onion farmers, who are reeling under severe financial stress due to the continuous decline in prices, reported IANS.
The party said onion growers in the state are perpetually left distressed, irrespective of the season. At times, unseasonal rain and hailstorms destroy their crops, while in other instances, even a bumper harvest fails to bring relief because farmers are forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices or dump it on roads due to poor market rates.
In an editorial published in the party mouthpiece âSaamana', the Thackeray camp claimed Maharashtra's onion growers have once again been pushed to the brink.
"While onion production has been excellent, market prices have continued to crash. The current rates do not even cover the cost of production, yet the government remains characteristically indifferent. The crop cultivated with immense hardship has now become a loss-making venture for farmers," the editorial stated, according to IANS.
The editorial also referred to the recent announcement by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the onion procurement price of Rs 1,235 per quintal during a programme in Satara attended by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
"Forget profit, this price does not even cover the production cost. The government has effectively imposed a decade-old rate on farmers. At the same time, fuel prices have been increased for the second time, adding to transportation expenses for onion growers," the editorial alleged.
Highlighting the broader crisis, the editorial said the ongoing West Asia conflict has negatively impacted onion exports, leading to oversupply in the domestic market.
"State agencies do not have the capacity to manage such a massive stockpile, resulting in a continuous fall in prices," it said, IANS reported.
The editorial further claimed that farmers are now being forced to sell onions at rates as low as Rs 1 per kilogram.
Referring to a symbolic protest by a Marathwada farmer, the editorial said Sudhakar Sultane had mailed a letter, a one-rupee coin, and a single onion to the Chief Minister to highlight the worsening crisis.
"Despite this emotional appeal, the government has remained completely unmoved," the editorial remarked.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also reminded the government of an earlier assurance allegedly made by Devendra Fadnavis when he was Deputy Chief Minister.
"Three years ago, Fadnavis had promised a guaranteed onion rate of Rs 2,410 per quintal. Why is the government now insisting on just Rs 1,235 per quintal?" the editorial questioned.
The party further alleged that since no immediate elections are due in the state, the ruling dispensation feels no urgency to address farmers' concerns.
Concluding its attack, the Thackeray camp said Maharashtra's onion growers are trapped in a vicious cycle.
"If they store the onions, the produce rots. If they sell it, they receive dirt-cheap prices. Today, the government has brought tears to farmers' eyes and refuses to wipe them away. But the ruling administration must remember that these very farmers will one day bring tears to the eyes of those in power," the editorial warned.
(With IANS inputs)
