NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal informed the Assembly that six farmers took their lives post onion price crash, but State had ignored their problems. With farmers in Maharashtra reeling under the effects of crashing onion prices, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on March 13 announced financial assistance of ₹300 per quintal for onion-growing farmers in the State.

In a statement issued in the State Legislative Assembly, Mr. Shinde said, “The kharif onion crop prices have seen a sharp decline due to surplus production. The onion cultivation has been higher in other parts of the country; as a result the demand for onions from Maharashtra has dropped. This has resulted in falling prices,” he stated.

The State government has appointed a committee to look into the problems of onion farmers and provide suggestions. The committee had recommended a compensation of ₹200 to ₹300 per quintal to onion cultivators.

“The State government is committed to farmers’ well-being. We have decided to give farmers ₹300 per quintal compensation,” Mr. Shinde said.

Earlier, Opposition parties had lashed out at the State government for its alleged apathy towards farmers.

“The State government had promised that the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) will procure the onions but nothing of the kind seems to be happening,” Mr. Pawar alleged.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal informed the Assembly that there had been six cases of farmers taking their own lives post the onion price crash, but that the State government had ignored their problems.