Stir against onion export duty: Maharashtra govt has policy paralysis, showing lack of coordination

Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule on Thursday slammed the Maharashtra government on the stir in the state over export duty on onions and said the ruling dispensation was exhibiting "complete policy paralysis" and lack of coordination.

Farmers and traders in Nashik have been agitating since Monday against the Union government's decision on August 19 to impose 40 per cent export duty on onions till December 31.

Auctions in the APMCs in Nashik, including in Lasalgaon, which is the largest wholesale market in India of the kitchen staple, have been affected since Monday, while farmers have also been protesting on the highway seeking scrapping of the export duty decision.

Speaking to reporters, NCP working president Sule said, "I have been raising the issue of onions through social media with (Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) Piyush Goyal for the last four months. I told him there is excess production of onions in the country and scarcity in some parts of the world." "I also talked about the opportunity to export onions and requested (the Centre) to come out with a clear policy but, unfortunately, nothing was done," she added.

The Eknath Shinde government is confused because its agriculture minister went to meet Goyal in Delhi on the issue but Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted "something different", she claimed.

"This shows there is no coordination. There is complete policy paralysis in the state government," said Sule, who is Lok Sabha member from Baramati.

When queried that she was talking about a policy paralysis when the government also includes Ajit Pawar, who is known to be a good administrator, Sule said there is a difference between one person working and an entire government having a policy paralysis.

The Union government on August 19 imposed 40 per cent duty on the export of onions to increase domestic availability amid signs of rising prices and in view of the upcoming festival season.

Farmers have claimed the move will create a glut in the domestic market, leading to crash in prices and heavy losses to cultivators.

Asked about the split in the NCP after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Shinde government on July 2, Sule said her faction had followed a process and approached the Maharashtra Assembly speaker for action against them.

Sharad Pawar is the national president of the NCP and Jayant Patil is the state unit chief, Sule reiterated.