This situation raises serious questions regarding the plight of farmers and the plummeting market prices for agricultural produce. The matter concerns Prakash Galdhar, a farmer from Varudi village in Paithan Taluka.
महाराष्ट्र: करीब डेढ़ टन प्याज बेचकर भी घाटे में किसान, मंडी से खाली हाथ लौटा, उल्टा और देना पड़ा 1 रुपया
A deeply distressing picture of the plight of farmers has emerged from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra, where a farmer sold 1,262 kilograms of onions at the market, yet—instead of making a profit—he actually had to pay 1 rupee out of his own pocket.
This incident is now raising serious questions regarding the condition of farmers and the plummeting prices in the agricultural market. The case involves Prakash Galdhar, a farmer from Varudi village in the Paithan taluka. Prakash Galdhar had spent nearly three months toiling to cultivate his onion crop.
Prakash Galdhar had hoped that the sale of his crop would cover household expenses, pay his children’s school fees, and help reduce some of his debts; however, he faced a massive shock upon reaching the market. Prakash arrived at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) with his onions packed in 25 sacks. The total weight of the onions came to 1,262 kilograms, but the market price he received was merely 100 rupees per quintal—meaning the value of one kilogram of onions was assessed at a mere 1 rupee. For selling 1,262 kilograms of onions, the farmer received a total of 1,262 rupees.
According to Prakash, the expenses incurred in transporting the onions to the market and facilitating the sale turned out to be even higher than this revenue. Deductions included 125 rupees for porterage (loading/unloading), 38 rupees for weighing, 25 rupees for filling/packing, 25 rupees for sorting, 500 rupees for transportation to the market, and 550 rupees for the cost of the 25 sacks—amounting to a total expenditure of 1,263 rupees. This meant that the farmer actually had to pay an additional 1 rupee out of his own pocket. This is not merely the story of a single farmer, but reflects the anguish of millions of farmers who spend months toiling to grow crops, only to find that the market fails to offer them even a fair price for their hard work.
Following this incident, questions are once again being raised regarding the agricultural system, crop pricing, and the economic status of farmers. Farmers argue that, amidst rising input costs and falling market prices, farming is increasingly becoming a loss-making venture. The very farmer who should have found relief by selling the fruits of his labor was instead forced to return from the market having incurred a financial loss. The incident emerging from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has now become a stark illustration of the plight of farmers. Today, the issue is not merely about a loss of one rupee, but rather about a system in which the nation’s food provider is struggling to secure a fair price for their own hard work.
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