By Nayan Dave
Buoyed by regular worldwide demand and a sudden drop in onion costs within the span of a fortnight, greater than 160 dehydrated vegetable-manufacturing models in Gujarat have began working at their full capability.
Just a month in the past, practically 50% of those models, concerned in exports, within the Saurashtra area have been virtually closed as a result of excessive charges of dehydration-quality onions, enhanced coal costs and elevated freight charges, says Manoj Ram, president of All India Vegetables Dehydrated Manufacturers Development Association (AVDMDA), including, “With the rabi onion crop hitting the market, prices of the commodity in major agriculture markets of Saurashtra declined from over Rs 200 for 20 kg to Rs 110-150 for 20 kg in the last 15-20 days.”
Prices of dehydration-quality white onion soared to Rs 250 for 20 kg in February this yr, which was too expensive for dehydration crops, says Ketuman Nanavati, a Rajkot-based exporter of dehydrated onion powder. “Now, not only have prices of onions come down, but there is good demand from European countries, the USA and Gulf countries. Dehydrated vegetable units in Saurashtra have seized this opportunity. But they are not able to export to countries like Russia, Ukraine and some others in Eastern Europe due to the current geopolitical situation,” stated Nanavati.
The season for onion dehydration usually begins in February and lasts until July. Due to the excessive charges of dehydration-quality white onions, this yr’s season kicked off in April and is at its peak now. Of the 160 dehydration crops within the area, practically 120 are located in and across the coastal Mahuva city in Bhavnagar district. Other than Gujarat, a few dehydrated vegetable models have developed in Indore and Jalgaon.
India’s dehydrated vegetable producers produce practically 80,000 tonne of dehydrated onion powder and round 40,000 tonne of dehydrated garlic powder yearly. Of these, 90% are exported. Major home consumers of this over Rs 1,000-crore business embrace ITC and Nestle India. Globally, India enjoys 70% market share in dehydrated onion merchandise. Egypt is the second largest exporter of comparable merchandise. Dehydrated vegetable models located in Gujarat present employment to just about 35,000 individuals.
“Instead of storing onions, farmers have decided to sell the crop in the wake of an unseasonal rain forecast and increased sowing area,” says Ghanshyam Patel, president of Mahuva Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), the largest onion-trading hub in Gujarat.
As per the info of the state agriculture division, rabi onion sowing in Gujarat has elevated to 88,400 hectares throughout the present season, from 61,600 hectares the earlier yr. Meanwhile, on Monday, Gujarat’s agriculture minister Raghavji Patel introduced that the state authorities would give monetary help value Rs 2 per kg to onion growers, contemplating a dip within the costs of the commodity, as much as Rs 50,000 per farmer.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”