Lok Sabha Question No. 2759 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Remunerative Prices for Onion
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2759

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  2 ND  AUGUST, 2016

## REMUNERATIVE PRICES FOR ONION

2759.  SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE: SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE   ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the onion farmers are getting adequate remunerative prices for their produce in the country, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the onion growers have suffered losses on account of import of onion in the country during each of the last three years and the current year, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (c) whether the Government has provided adequate assistance for development of infrastructure for post harvest management and marketing facilities to onion growers in the country, if so, the details thereof along with the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure remunerative prices to onion growers in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a): Price  of  onion  differs  from  place  to  place  and  depends  on  various  factors  such  as seasonality of production, quality of produce, mismatch in demand and supply etc. Production of onion has increased about 7% in 2015-16 over the previous year. The average cost of production of rabi onion was around Rs.6-7 per kg. The average wholesale prices of onion prevailing in major states are given below:

(Rs. In Quintal)

| States            |   Current Week 28/07/2016 |   Previous Week 21/07/2016 |   A Month Ago 28/06/2016 |
|-------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------|
| Delhi             |                       825 |                        750 |                      700 |
| Haryana           |                      1250 |                       1325 |                     1100 |
| Punjab            |                      1367 |                       1267 |                      933 |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                      1213 |                       1163 |                     1188 |
| Gujarat           |                      1175 |                       1181 |                     1188 |
| Madhya Pradesh    |                       917 |                        950 |                      917 |
| Maharashtra       |                      1269 |                       1269 |                     1204 |
| Rajasthan         |                      1050 |                       1000 |                      967 |
| Bihar             |                      1133 |                       1133 |                     1083 |
| West Bengal       |                      1400 |                       1320 |                     1050 |
| Telangana         |                      1200 |                       1200 |                     1200 |
| Seemandhra        |                      1367 |                       1483 |                     1333 |
| Karnataka         |                      1500 |                       1350 |                     1450 |
| Tamil Nadu        |                      1280 |                       1360 |                     1320 |
| All India Average |                      1210 |                       1197 |                     1117 |

Source:  D/o Consumer Affairs

- (b): No, Madam. The import of onion is very low. The year-wise import of onion is as shown:-

|        |               |             |               | (in Tonnes)            |
|--------|---------------|-------------|---------------|------------------------|
| Period | 2013-14 17846 | 2014-15 813 | 2015-16 87324 | 2016-17 (up to June) 0 |

(c): Government  has  taken  numerous  steps  for  infrastructure  development,  post  harvest management  and  marketing  facilities  to  ensure  remunerative  prices  to  horticulture  farmers including onion growers in the country. These include the following:

-  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  for  holistic  development  of horticulture in the country including creation of infrastructure for post harvest management and marketing.
-  Facilitating direct  marketing,  contract  farming,  setting  up of private  markets,  farmer consumer markets and e-markets.
-  Market  Intervention  Scheme  (MIS),  implemented  for  procurement  of  agricultural  and horticultural commodities, including onion which aims to provide remunerative prices to the farmers in case of glut in production and fall in prices. Under the MIS, losses, if any, are shared between the Central Government and State Government concerned on 50:50 basis.
-  Providing market information to farmers on prices and arrivals of agricultural commodities in regulated markets on AGMARKNET portal.
-  'Market  Information  Service  for  Horticulture  Crops'  implemented  by  National  Horticulture Board  (NHB)  which  has  established  a  network  connecting  35  major  wholesale  fruit  and vegetable markets in the country. The information generated is available on NHB website.

******