The state government has formed a five-member committee to probe the alleged irregularities in onion procurement by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) from farmers in Nashik district.

As in previous years, the Centre, under its Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) scheme, engaged the NCCF and NAFED to procure onions from farmers to build a buffer stock and help protect consumers from excessive price volatility. (HT FILE)

According to a government resolution (GR) issued by the state marketing department, Nashik district collector Ayush Prasad will head the committee, while the deputy district registrar of cooperative societies will be its member-secretary.

“The state government has directed the committee to conduct an inquiry and submit its report, along with recommendations, within a month. The panel has appealed to farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and other stakeholders to formally lodge complaints regarding any malpractices by the two agencies in the procurement of onions. The committee will investigate all such complaints,” Prasad told Hindustan Times.

Officials from NAFED and NCCF in Nashik did not respond to calls seeking their response to the allegations.

As in previous years, the Centre, under its Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) scheme, engaged the NCCF and NAFED to procure onions from farmers to build a buffer stock and help protect consumers from excessive price volatility. The Union government had set a target of procuring two lakh tonnes of onions through the two agencies. However, the agencies managed to procure only around 1.20 lakh tonnes. The procured onions have been transported to various parts of the country where they are being sold at subsidised prices.

Official sources revealed that some elected representatives from Nashik had complained to the state government that the two agencies procured onions from a select number of FPOs while ignoring other FPOs that were willing to sell their produce.

Bharat Dighole, founder-president of the state onion growers’ association, said that the organisation had been demanding a probe into the procurement process since the two agencies began purchasing onions. “Initially, the agencies set up procurement centres near onion mandis. Later, they shifted the centres to other locations. They must explain why the centres were shifted and whether or not all farmers and FPOs were given equal opportunity to sell their produce,” Dighole said.