Madhya Pradesh: Onion prices have tumbled in parts of the state, leaving affected farmers struggling to cover cultivation and transport costs. The steep price fall has forced many to sell at heavy losses, sparking demands for government intervention.

Farmer Babbu Malvi from Panth Piploda told PTI, “I planted onion in one bigha land and got around 6-7 quintals. The rate of onion per kg was Rs 1.99 today, not even Rs 2. This doesn’t even cover our travel cost.”

Price collapse affects wider region

Recent reports from Khandwa indicate onion prices falling to just Rs 3 per kg, with many farmers destroying crops as they cannot recover basic expenses. They blame government export restrictions for the steep decline and are urging immediate relief to save their livelihoods.

Malwa farmers demand Minimum Support Price

According to Etv Bharat, farmers in the Malwa region are facing huge financial losses due to the crash in onion prices and are demanding the government implement a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for both onions and garlic. The sharp decline is linked to both old onion stock, stored for months, and new arrivals hitting the market simultaneously.

The report notes that the minimum price recorded at the Ratlam Agricultural Produce Market dropped drastically to Rs 200 per quintal, equating to Rs 2 per kg, while the average price rested around Rs 600 per quintal. High production costs, estimated between Rs 30,000 and Rs 35,000 per acre, are not being met by current market rates. Some farmers reportedly received as little as Rs 250 per quintal, barely covering the cost of transporting crops to the market.

Wholesale vs retail disparity

Etv Bharat highlighted that prices are significantly lower now compared to the harvest in April. While higher production this year contributed to the drop, farmers’ wholesale earnings remain below Rs 10 per kg, whereas retail prices hover around Rs 15 per kg, emphasising the stark contrast between farmer returns and consumer prices.