After Bihar, Onions Worth Rs 1 Lakh Stolen in Nashik as Price of Kitchen Staple Makes Consumers Weep

Nashik: Amid the spiralling onion prices, a farmer in Maharashtra's Nashik district has complained that his stock of the key kitchen staple worth around Rs 1 lakh has been stolen by unidentified persons, police said on Tuesday.

Onion grower Rahul Bajirao Pagar approached the police on Monday, saying he had kept a 'summer stock' of 25 tonne onions in 117 plastic crates at his store house in Kalwan taluka, police inspector Pramod Wagh said.

However, on Sunday evening, he found the entire stock worth nearly Rs 1 lakh missing, Pagar said in the complaint.

Based on his complaint, a case of theft has been registered and search is on for his stock in local markets as well as in neighbouring Gujarat, Wagh said.

The summer onion stocks are being auctioned at the Agriculture Produce MarketCommittee (APMC) here for around Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000 per quintal (per 100 kg), a source said.

Meanwhile in another incident, some unidentified persons allegedly mixed urea (fertiliser) in the onion stock of farmer Vishnu Aher in Bhaur village, an official at Devla police station said.

The farmer in his complaint alleged that the mischief resulted in rotting of about 120 tonnes of his onions worth Rs 5 lakh, he said.

Retail prices of onion have shot up to Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kg in New Delhi and other parts of the country owing to supply disruption in the wake of excess monsoon rains in major growing states, according to sources.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the prices will calm down in the next few days with supply being boosted through agencies like Nafed. "Onion situation will improve in the next few days. Cooperative Nafed is releasing stock from the central buffer at a lower price. We have enough stock of onions," Tomar told reporters after the launch of two mobile apps for farmers.

The government is aware of the onion situation and taking measures to balance in the interest of both farmers and consumers, he said. "At times, consumers have to pay high price for farm items; and at times, farmers get less price for their produce. Our role is to balance this. We are aware of it and are taking several measures," Tomar added.