According to an APMC spokesperson, only 49 tractor-trailorloads (each carrying 30 quintals) and 16 bullock-carts lined up for auction this morning, with the average price pegged at Rs 2,561 per quintal. The better quality onions fetched Rs 2,616 per quintal.

The APMC handles about 40 lakh quintals of onions worth over Rs 100 crore per annum. Arrivals, under normal circumstances, range from 700 tractors to 1,000 tractors and during a glut, up to 1,400 tractors. Since the April-May rabi stock is almost exhausted and the fresh kharif crop is yet to be harvested, arrivals have dipped to an alarming low.

The recent rains during the crucial bulb development stage also damaged about 20 per cent of the crop and in some talukas, inclement weather had led to neck elongation and diseases like purple blotch. The new cropis expected around Diwali. However, some farmers have begun harvesting underdeveloped onions, considering the high prices in the market.

Onions prices have almost doubled over the last one month. In August, wholesale prices at Lasalgaon ranged from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 per quintal, with arrivals amounting to 200-250 tractors per day. However, as arrivals behan to dwindle, prices soared. On September 23, prices were in the range of Rs 2,125 to Rs 2,180 per quintal, with about 170 tractors rolling in to the wholesale marketyerd. Today, arrivals dipped to just 49 tractors.

A delegation of farmers met state Agriculture Commissioner Dr Sudhir Goyal and apprised him of the situation. Considering the 30-35 per cent loss of onions due to storage, handling and transport, Goyal told the delegation that talks are underway with the Centre to extend soft loans to farmers to improve proper storage facilities.

The delegation also demanded that a minimum price be fixed and a committee be set up to monitor and study thesituation. Goyal was in Nashik to attend a meeting of agriculture officials.