September 2025

• ! Maharashtra - India's largest onion producing state.

Background of protest

• Maharashtra has produced more onions than needed this year,
• Quality of stored Rabi onion has deteriorated , lowering the market prices
• Government maintains a strategic buffer stock under the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to manage price volatility

Reason for the protest

• Fall in the market prices of onion
• Rupees 800 to 1000 per quintal for onion, but the production cost stands at 2,200 to 2,500 rupees per quintal
• Government has released its buffer stock in the market at cheaper prices through
  • National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) - major consumer cooperative
  • National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) - apex cooperative organisation for promoting and developing the cooperative marketing

Demands by farmers

• aid of Rupees 1,500 per quintal
• Government must streamline the onion exports
• Establish a uniform export policy