Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is set to convene a meeting at his Delhi residence on Wednesday to tackle the challenges faced by Maharashtra’s onion growers and the cooperative sugar industry. The meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m., will see the participation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, senior ministers, legislators, and representatives of cooperative sugar bodies.
This intervention comes amidst significant stress in Maharashtra’s agrarian economy, with onion farmers grappling with a drastic price drop and the sugar sector encountering uncertainties in policies and escalating costs due to an export ban. The meeting will also be attended by Ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and Shivendraraje Bhosale, along with several legislators and key figures from the cooperative sugar industry.
The crisis in Maharashtra’s onion belt, particularly in areas like Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and parts of Marathwada, is intensifying. Despite a robust production, adverse weather conditions and geopolitical challenges have led to a sharp decline in wholesale onion prices, causing financial strain on farmers.
Ministers, legislators, and industry representatives attending the meeting will address the challenges faced by onion growers and the cooperative sugar industry in Maharashtra, seeking solutions to alleviate the financial distress and uncertainties plaguing these sectors.
