Onion nursery damaged by unseasonal rains in Niphad taluka, Nashik district, as seen on October 27, 2025. Sown just 15 days ago, these seedlings now face the threat of rotting due to excessive moisture, endangering the rabi crop cycle.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Onion farmers across Maharashtra have launched an indefinite protest from Monday, demanding urgent relief from the State government following widespread crop damage caused by unseasonal rains. The Maharashtra State Onion Producers Farmers Association has submitted memorandums to district administrations in major onion-growing regions, seeking compensation, free seeds, and policy support.
“Unseasonal rains have broken the backs of farmers. The government should immediately announce financial assistance,” the association said in a statement.
From October 23 to 27, districts like Nashik, Ahmednagar, Pune, Jalgaon, Solapur, and Satara received moderate to heavy rainfall, ranging from 36.8 mm in Solapur to 58.4 mm in Nashik, according to the India Meteorological Department. This rainfall, unusual for the post-monsoon period, has severely impacted onion nurseries, which are crucial for the rabi season sowing cycle.
Farmer Sanjay Bhadane from Dhule district described the situation as dire, “Unseasonal rains have wreaked havoc in many parts of Dhule, including Sakri taluka. Onion seedlings, soybeans, maize and cotton crops have been damaged on a large scale. Farmers, already burdened by rising input costs and unstable market prices, are now facing another blow from nature.”
The association, led by founder president Bharat Dighole, has made key demands: compensation for damaged onion seedlings, free seed distribution or direct financial aid after a survey, justice for soybean and maize growers, implementation of the Bhavantar Yojana to compensate farmers who sold produce below MRP, establishment of MRP purchase centres especially at Pimpalner, a key commercial hub in Dhule district.
Dhule district leaders including Sanjay Bhadane, Anil Bhamre, and Gangadhar Shinde have warned of intensified protests if the administration fails to act swiftly.
“If the panchnama, assistance and purchase centres are not started immediately, we will prepare for a big protest. No one will let anyone play with the price of farmers’ sweat,” the association stated.
Mr. Dighole emphasised the timing of the damage, “This is the sowing season. Onion farmers start preparing nurseries in October. If the sowing is destroyed, there will be no onions during the harvesting period from January to April.”
Maharashtra is India’s leading onion producer, contributing nearly 170 lakh metric tonnes in 2025, a sharp rise from 86 lakh metric tonnes in 2024. The six districts account for 94.68% of the state’s onion cultivation area.
The rainfall has also triggered “mar rog” (damping-off disease) in nurseries, especially in Nashik’s Malegaon, Satana, and Baglan, where farmers have lost lakhs worth of seeds and seedlings. In Pune, farmer Sudam Ingle received just ₹664 for 7.5 quintals of rain-damaged onions, despite spending ₹66,000 on cultivation, Mr. Dighole added.
The association has urged the government to act before the situation worsens, warning that if sowing fails, the January to April harvest window will collapse, leading to a supply crisis and further economic distress.
Published – October 28, 2025 02:30 am IST
