Onion auction will resume from Thursday at all APMCs in Maharashtra's Nashik district. The traders protesting the imposition of 40 percent export duty on onions have decided to call off their agitation. A representative of the traders gave this information on Wednesday. This decision was taken in a meeting of representatives of traders-exporters and farmers here on Wednesday with Union Minister Dr. Bharti Pawar.

After the meeting, Pawar also said that a representative of traders in Nashik informed in the meeting that they were withdrawing the decision to stop onion auction in Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and operations would start from there. "Regarding 40 percent export duty, we would request the central government to reconsider and take a positive decision on the issue," he said.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pawar is the MP from Dindori in Nashik. Most of the APMCs in Nashik, including Lasalgaon APMC, known as Asia's biggest wholesale onion market, have called off onion auctions as traders are protesting against the hike in export duty on onions.

Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday alleged that some "political opponents" were painting a wrong picture about the export duty imposed on onions. He urged farmers not to worry as the Center has resumed procurement for its buffer stock at Rs 2,410 per quintal.

Goyal said the decision to impose 40 percent export duty on onions has been taken to protect the interests of consumers, but at the same time, the Center has also decided to buy an additional 2 lakh tonnes of onions from farmers to avoid any panic sale.

Khandu Deore, president of the Nashik District Onion Traders Association, said after the meeting here on Wednesday, “Our just demand is that the central government should think about the traders while imposing any duty on onions. Traders do not create hurdles for the farmers. Pawar has assured to consider the demands of traders. Consequently, we are withdrawing our agitation and starting the auction of onions at APMCs in Nashik district from tomorrow."

Pawar said, “Today in a meeting at the district collectorate, Devre informed that the traders are withdrawing the decision to stop the onion auction in APMC, and operations there will start from tomorrow. He said that this decision has been taken keeping in mind the welfare of the farmers.

Along with the APMC, the procurement of onion will continue from the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed). Farmers will have to decide to sell onion as per their wish and wherever they get good price, they will be able to sell it there. The welfare of the farmers is the ultimate goal of the central and state governments.

Traders have also performed well and their contribution to onion exports has been good. He informed that Union Minister Piyush Goyal has instructed the Collector to give detailed information about the containers of traders stuck at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (Raigad) and other places. "The government will take a decision in this regard and will definitely provide help," he added.

He said, "On 40 percent export duty, we will request the central government to take a positive decision and reduce it. He also appealed to Devre to start auction of onions from Wednesday itself in places where it is possible."

District Collector Jalaj Sharma, Chandwad MLA Rahul Aher and officials of Nafed were present in the meeting. The onion auction remained closed on Wednesday in almost all the APMCs of the district including Lasalgaon, but the auction was held in Vinchur sub-committee of Lasalgaon APMC.