'Not Even Rs 2 A Kilo': Madhya Pradesh Onion Farmers Reel Under Price Crash

Mandsaur: Farmers who feed the nation are now struggling to survive, as onion farmers across Madhya Pradesh are facing a sharp price crash that has left them in despair. In the Mandsaur district, farmers said that their onions are being sold at throwaway rates, which is not even enough to cover their transportation costs, let alone their food expenses.  "I had planted onions on 1 bigha of land, and the yield was around 6-7 quintals. It sold today at Rs 1.99...not even Rs 2 per kg. This amount doesn't even cover my transportation costs, and then there are food expenses I have to bear. How will farmers survive like this? There are only losses, nothing else," said Babbu Malviya, an onion farmer, expressing his grief.Farmers who arrived at the local vegetable market said they are earning losses. Another farmer, Gopal Singh Sisodiya, said he spent Rs 1,000 on transport but earned only Rs 700 from the sale. "I brought 7 quintals of onions here, which sold at Rs 170 per quintal. It doesn't even cover the transportation cost."Many farmers have even stopped selling in the market. Bhupendra Singh from Barkheda decided to give his onions away for free. "I planted onions on one acre at an expense of Rs 33,000. I didn’t earn a single paisa. When onions are being sold at Rs 1 per kg, what’s the point of selling them? Only traders will profit," he said.