CM Shinde says, Onion banks to start, to give relief to cultivators

Storage of onions will be done using solar energy, which will allow farmers to wait till they get a good price for the crop. Pic/Ashish Raje

The Maharashtra government will start onion banks in several places to provide relief to farmers cultivating the perishable kitchen staple, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Thursday.

Chairing a review meeting of the project, the CM said storage of onions will be done using solar energy, which will allow farmers to wait till they get good prices for the crop.

The project will start from Rahuri in Ahmednagar, while facilities will come up immediately in Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Solapur, where onion production is high, the CM said.

"The onion bank will start through Hindustan Agro. Premises of the state-run Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation will be used for the purpose.

Onions banks are also proposed at 10 places along the Samruddhi Expressway," the CM said. Shinde also directed authorities to develop a value chain in the onion bank area keeping in mind the interest of farmers.

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