KURNOOL: Onion farmers in Kurnool district are facing severe financial distress as prices have crashed sharply at the end of the Rabi season, forcing many growers to dump their produce in market yards and even abandon standing crops in their fields.
At the Kurnool Agricultural Wholesale Market Yard, onion prices over the past few days have ranged between Rs 400 and Rs 1,200 per quintal, with most of the produce fetching only Rs 400 to Rs 600 per quintal. These rates are far below the cost of cultivation, leaving farmers with heavy losses.
Unable to secure remunerative prices, several farmers have dumped their onion bags in corners of the market yard and returned home in despair. Others have chosen not to harvest their standing crop, as labour and transportation costs would exceed the sale proceeds.
Market Yard Secretary R Vijaya Lakshmi said the Rabi season usually witnesses a decline in prices, but this year’s fall has been unusually steep. “From the beginning of the season, the highest price was only around Rs 2,000 per quintal. Current prices are extremely disappointing,” she said.
The slump has been attributed to multiple factors, including near-closure of exports to Bangladesh due to international tensions, fuel shortages affecting transportation to neighbouring states, and the arrival of superior-quality onions from Maharashtra.
‘Export curbs may hit Kharif cropping’
Local onions, though sizable, have suffered internal layer damage due to intense summer heat, reducing their shelf life and consumer demand. Consumers, traders and retailers are preferring Maharashtra onions from Solapur, Nashik and Lasalgaon, further depressing local prices.
Officials fear that prolonged export restrictions could also affect the upcoming Kharif season. Kurnool district Collector Dr A Siri has already advised farmers to consider alternative crops instead of relying heavily on onion cultivation. The Collector has suggested crop diversification to help farmers mitigate risks associated with volatile onion prices.
Kurnool, one of the largest onion trading centres in the Telugu States, has witnessed sharp fluctuations this season. With local demand weakening and export avenues shrinking, farmers are hoping for better conditions in months ahead.
For now, however, the sharp fall in prices has brought tears rather than profits to Kurnool’s onion growers. While officials hope prices may improve by July with fresh Kharif arrivals, Kurnool’s onion growers are currently left counting their losses.