Maharashtra: Farmer gets paid Rs 2 in post dated cheque for over 5 quintals onion in Solapur

Though the farmer was paid one rupee per kg of onion, the net revenue he ended up getting was Rs 2 after deducting charges on various counts.

Solapur: Demonstrating the miserable condition of farmers in Maharashtra, a farmer in Solapur district ended up saving a meager two rupees after selling over five quintals of onion at a vegetable market. The buyer has given a cheque dated March 8 to the farmer.

The incident has triggered a debate over the government's apathy towards the farmers. Rajendra Tukaram Chavan (58 years), a resident of Zadi Borgaon village of Barshi in Solapur sold 512 kg of onions in the Solapur market yard on Feb. 17. Due to fall in the prices of onion, the farmer had to be content with the rate of Re 1 per kg.

After deducting various charges related to the purchase of onion including transportation, Tukaram was left with the “savings” of only two rupees. To rub salt on his wounds, Surya Traders which purchased produce at the market yard, handed him a cheque dated March 8, as mandated by Market Committee.

Naseer Khalifa, owner of Surya Traders in Solapur Agricultural Produce Market Committee, said that the prices of onion had fallen due to rise in production. He, however, said that “good quality onion is still fetching good price”. The pictures of the farmer holding the bill for the meagre amount have gone viral with people expressing their anger at the miserable condition of the farmers.

Leader of Swabhimani Shetkar Sangathan and former MP Raju Shetty has also expressed his angst at the incident. Shetty warned that if farmers do not get justice, they will have no other option but to self immolate in front of the Agriculture ministry in Mumbai. Shetty said that on the one hand, due to arrears, the electricity connection of the farmers is snapped while the farmers are forced to sell their crops for nothing.