Prices plunge: Red onions bring tears to growers

YADGIR: The farmers of the district, who grew red onion, are in a state of confusion as prices for the produce have plummeted.The sudden fall in the prices of red onion dashed the hopes of the peasants as a bag of onion (54 kg) is being sold at Rs 250 to Rs 300 as against Rs 1500-Rs 1800 last month.Red onion is the largest crop in the district after tomato. It is the tradition of farmers in the region to grow red onion during the summer. Last year, red onion had brought the smiles on the faces of the farmers. They were expecting good prices this year as well.Thanks to the crash in the prices and rains, quintals of red onions are rotting even before they are transported to markets."The government has to come to our rescue", said growers Sanna Hanumantappa and Sharanappa.Even the traders are not coming to the doorsteps of the growers to purchase red onions with a fear that the prices might not pick up in coming days.On Thursday, hundreds of red onion growers from Hattikuni, Gajarakota and Motanahalli villages, keeping the bags of red onions at the premises of Mahatma Gandhi vegetable market, urged the government to come to their rescue.