KADAPA: Farmers in Kadapa are facing severe losses due to the lack of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for onions. Fluctuating prices have left them vulnerable, with prices rising sharply one day and plummeting the next. Farmers cultivated onions in over 5,000 acres in the constituencies of Mydukuru, Jammalamadugu, Pulivendula, and Kamalapuram during May and June.
The crop sown in late May yielded a good harvest, with prices reaching between Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,500 per quintal, allowing farmers to cover investment costs and make additional profits. However, this joy was short-lived. The onion crop planted at the end of June suffered damage due to rains, resulting in prices dropping to around Rs 1,000 per quintal. The farmers urged the government to intervene immediately and recommend discussions with the Centre to lift the ban on foreign exports. They opined that if the government purchases onions at Rs 2,500 per quintal, it would help farmers in these challenging times.
