Storage shortage hits Karnataka’s onion farmers, may spike prices for consumers in lean season
_vb_47.jpeg)
Hubballi: A shortage of adequate storage facilities in Karnataka is taking a toll on onion farmers, who are unable to secure fair prices for their produce, while consumers face inflated prices during the lean season.
Karnataka, the country’s second-largest onion producer after Maharashtra, boasts an average annual output of 38.91 lakh tonnes. However, the lack of central storage facilities discourages farmers from growing onions as a rabi or summer crop, despite this being the optimal season for cultivation due to reduced risk of onions catching diseases and better shelf life, as reported by Deccan Herald on Sunday.
On an average, Karnataka can store only 3.75 lakh tonnes of onion in its central storage facilities. “In spite of favourable conditions for onion cultivation, we are unable to meet the demand and Maharashtra is benefiting from this,” DH quoted B. Ravi Shankar, Secretary of the Potato-Onion Merchants’ Association, Bengaluru, as saying.
He stressed the need for at least one large storage facility, with a 10,000-tonne capacity, in every district. Such infrastructure, he argued, would encourage more farmers to grow onions during the rabi season and regulate prices during the lean period between October and November.
The dry regions of Karnataka like Vijayapura, Gadag, Ballari, Koppal, Dharwad, Belagavi, Chitradurga and Kolar are some of the major onion growing districts in the state. However, these districts lack large storage facilities.
Meanwhile, onion prices have decreased across APMCs in Karnataka due to a bumper yield this year. In Bengaluru, wholesale prices are ranging between Rs 14 and Rs 21 per kg, while retail prices hover around Rs 25 to Rs 28. On an average, onions are priced at Rs 40 a kg, and can spike to Rs 100 during the lean months.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Om Birla attends swearing-in of new B'desh PM, says India stands ready to support BNP govt
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka, and said India stands ready to support Bangladesh's endeavours to build a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation.
Separately, the speaker called on the new Bangladesh prime minister and conveyed the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also handed over an invitation from Prime Minister Modi to Rahman to visit India, officials said here.
“Glad to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government of Bangladesh led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka today. India stands ready to support Bangladesh’s endeavours to build a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation,” Birla posted on X.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, said in a post on X, “Prime Minister Tarique Rahman conveys his greetings to India and PM Narendra Modi to the visiting India Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at a courtesy meet following the swearing-in of the new government.
“Speaker Birla conveyed wishes and an invitation to India. Both leaders expressed optimism to work together for the well-being of the people of Bangladesh and India, pursuing a people-centric menu of cooperation.”
Birla also met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and other leaders on the sidelines of the event.
Led by Rahman, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept to power with a two-thirds majority with 49.97 per cent votes and 209 seats in the polls held on February 12, results for which were declared on February 13.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, which was opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971, registered its best-ever performance with 31.76 per cent votes and 68 seats.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) secured the third-highest number of seats, six, and 3.05 per cent votes.
Bangladesh had invited Narendra Modi to the ceremony, but the prime minister could not attend the event as he was scheduled to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on Tuesday.
On reaching Dhaka, Birla said the swearing-in of Rahman was an important moment that would strengthen people-to-people relations and shared democratic values between the two neighbours.
“Honoured to be in Dhaka representing India at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government led by Tarique Rahman as the prime minister. It's an important moment that will strengthen people-to-people ties and shared democratic values between our two nations,” Birla said.
Birla was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials.
