A steep and sudden drop in onion prices has left farmers in Sangareddy and surrounding regions reeling in financial distress, just as the harvest season began. Within just 15 days, onion prices have plummeted by nearly Rs 1,000 per quintal, severely impacting farmers who had increased cultivation this year, expecting good returns.
Until recently, onions were being sold at rates ranging between Rs 1,800 and Rs 2,300 per quintal. However, current market prices have dropped drastically, with some varieties being sold for as low as Rs 600 per quintal. This is a sharp contrast to last year’s rates during the same period, which ranged between Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,000 per quintal.
Officials estimate that around 1,250 acres in Sangareddy district are under onion cultivation. Neighboring Rangareddy district also has significant onion-producing mandals, including Narayanakhed, Manoor, Kondapur, Sadasivapet, and Patancheru.
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At the Sadasivapeta market, onions fetched an average price of Rs 1,369 per quintal on April 12, but only 15 percent of farmers managed to sell at that rate. Most others received less than Rs 1,000, reflecting a widespread issue in the region’s agricultural markets. Similar price trends were reported from Jogipet and Patancheru.
The current crisis has hit hardest those farmers who, encouraged by last year’s profits, expanded their onion cultivation. The resulting oversupply, however, has collided with a market slump, causing severe financial strain.
With returns failing to cover even basic input costs, many farmers are now choosing to sell onions locally in their villages to avoid transportation expenses and market fees. This direct-to-village sale, often by the kilogram, is seen as a last resort to recover a portion of their investment.
One such farmer, Ganti Nagesh from Peddareddypeta, expressed deep concern over the situation. He had cultivated onions on one acre and paddy on two acres. While he achieved a good onion yield, his paddy crop is now drying up due to water scarcity in his borewell. He had hoped to offset the paddy loss through onion sales, but the sharp fall in prices has crushed those expectations. Like many others, he has now resorted to selling onions within the village.
The current scenario highlights the vulnerability of small and medium-scale farmers to market fluctuations and underscores the urgent need for government intervention, minimum support prices, and better market regulation mechanisms to safeguard the interests of cultivators.
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