Overview
- Maharashtra leaders met Union ministers in New Delhi on Wednesday and won central assurances that 'positive decisions' will be taken within ten days on onion and sugar sector demands.
- The Centre has approved procurement of onions by NAFED and NCCF through APMCs and set a procurement rate of Rs 1,580 per quintal while considering a scale‑up from 2 lakh tonnes to 10 lakh tonnes.
- Officials said mechanised grading and expansion of storage and sorting facilities will be used to reduce arbitrary rejections and trader-led distortions during procurement.
- For the sugar sector the Union signalled action on raising the sugar MSP, substantially increasing ethanol allocations, restructuring mill loans and releasing pending interest subvention to ease cooperative balance sheets.
- Farmers and growers’ groups say the measures are initial and must be rapidly operationalised with transparent, market‑level procurement reporting and compensation for those who sold at throwaway prices or the protests are likely to continue.