New Delhi: Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday blamed middlemen for surging onion prices and stressed the need to ensure that farmers get a reasonable income and consumers are not impacted by high rates.
As onion prices remained at Rs 60 per kg in the national capital and the government released buffer stock, Chouhan hit out at middlemen in the agricultural market ecosystem.
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The minister recalled that a few months ago the Centre had to intervene and buy onions from farmers in Maharashtra as prices had crashed to as low as Rs 7-8 per kg, which was not enough to cover production cost.
Now, farmers do not have onions with them as stocks have been sold from their end, and retail prices have touched Rs 60 per kg.
"Kya kisan ko pasine ke puri kimat milti hai? Kya bicholiye ko itna kamane ka adhikaar hai? Sarkar karvai kar rahi hai (Are farmers getting the real price for their hard work? Do middlemen have the right to profiteering from farmers' effort? The government is taking action," Chouhan said at an industry event in the national capital.
The minister sought industry's help for putting in place a mechanism to ensure farmers earn profit and consumers also do not have to pay high prices.
"We need to do something," Chouhan said, adding that he has also formed a team for framing such a mechanism.
The minister emphasised the increasing farmers' participation in the agriculture value chain.
Addressing an event at the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development, Chouhan also stressed ensuring food security, saying India could not afford to remain dependent on any other country, considering the West Asia conflict and Russia-Ukraine war.
The minister spoke about the need to improve soil health through balanced use of chemicals and fertilisers, efficient use of water, promotion of integrated farming, as well as natural farming, and adoption of climate-smart agriculture.
Chouhan also emphasised the need to take modern technology and research work to farmers' fields.
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He said the farm scientists have been advised to visit farmers' fields to assess the problem and then undertake research programmes.
The minister asked the industry to make investment in creating infrastructure in the agriculture sector.
He suggested that the CSR fund should be utilised for capacity building.
"Sustainable agriculture is not only an environmental agenda. It is also an economic agenda, a social agenda, an agenda of food security and farmer welfare, and ultimately, an agenda of national security," Chouhan noted while speaking at the Special Plenary, ‘Rural Prosperity for Viksit Bharat: Advancing Sustainable Agriculture and Inclusive Growth’, at the 21st Global Sustainability Summit.
Talking about the recent tragedy in Nepal and irresponsible resource use, the minister said, "In our pursuit of material progress, we have interfered with nature to such an extent that one crisis after another is emerging".
Cautioning all, he said, "This land is not just for us. Future generations also have a right to it".
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