Mumbai: Amid an uproar over the imposition of 40 % export duty on onions, the Central government has decided to establish special procurement centers in Nashik and Ahmednagar in Maharashtra to procure two lakh metric tonnes of onion from the farmers of the state, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Fadnavis, who is currently on a tour to Japan, said that the central government has decided to purchase 2 lakh metric tonnes of onion at the rate of Rs 2410 per quintal. Fadnavis said that special procurement centers will be started in Nashik and Ahmednagar in this regard “to protect the interests of onion producers in Maharashtra”.
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महाराष्ट्रातील कांदा उत्पादकांच्या प्रश्नासाठी आज आमचे नेते केंद्रीय गृहमंत्री मा. अमितभाई शाह तसेच केंद्रीय मंत्री मा. पियुष गोयलजी यांच्याशी जपानमधून दूरध्वनीवर संपर्क केला.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 22, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
केंद्र सरकारने 2 लाख मेट्रिक टन कांदा खरेदी करण्याचा निर्णय घेतला असून महाराष्ट्रातील कांदा उत्पादकांचे…
">महाराष्ट्रातील कांदा उत्पादकांच्या प्रश्नासाठी आज आमचे नेते केंद्रीय गृहमंत्री मा. अमितभाई शाह तसेच केंद्रीय मंत्री मा. पियुष गोयलजी यांच्याशी जपानमधून दूरध्वनीवर संपर्क केला.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 22, 2023
केंद्र सरकारने 2 लाख मेट्रिक टन कांदा खरेदी करण्याचा निर्णय घेतला असून महाराष्ट्रातील कांदा उत्पादकांचे…महाराष्ट्रातील कांदा उत्पादकांच्या प्रश्नासाठी आज आमचे नेते केंद्रीय गृहमंत्री मा. अमितभाई शाह तसेच केंद्रीय मंत्री मा. पियुष गोयलजी यांच्याशी जपानमधून दूरध्वनीवर संपर्क केला.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 22, 2023
केंद्र सरकारने 2 लाख मेट्रिक टन कांदा खरेदी करण्याचा निर्णय घेतला असून महाराष्ट्रातील कांदा उत्पादकांचे…
Also read: If people don't eat onions for 2-4 months, it makes no difference: Maharashtra Minister Bhuse
He said that he had spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and union minister Piyush Goyal in this regard. “Today our leader contacted Union Home Minister Hon Amitbhai Shah and Union Minister Hon Piyush Goyalji over phone from Japan. The central government has decided to purchase 2 lakh metric tonnes of onion and has announced that special procurement centers will be started in Nashik and Ahmednagar to protect the interests of onion producers in Maharashtra. This will be procured at the rate of Rs 2410 per quintal. This will give great relief to the onion producers of our state,” Fadnavis said.
The statement by the Maharashtra deputy chief minister comes amid a strong protest by farmers and traders against the imposition of 40 % import duty on onions by the Finance Ministry. In a Customs notification issued on Aug. 19, the Finance Ministry imposed the import duty in a bid to ensure domestic availability of onions.
The export duty will be in force till Dec. 31. Meanwhile, union minister Piyush Goyal while addressing a presser in Delhi on Tuesday said that the NCCF and NAFED have started the sale of onions at subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg to consumers across the country from Monday. “Today, a further boost will be given. Both consumers and farmers are precious for us. I urge the farmers to not worry, and sell their produce at good price," Goyal said.
He said that as per the orders by Government of India, NAFED and NCCF purchased three lakh tons of onion from Maharashtra.
