New Delhi, 28 August 2026: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has given a big statement regarding the increase in onion prices in many places including the country's capital Delhi. He has directly held the middlemen responsible for the rising prices of onion. Chauhan had emphatically said that there is an urgent need to develop such a system, so that farmers get fair price for their produce and consumers also do not have to bear the burden of inflation. It is worth mentioning here that the open market price of onion in Delhi is Rs. After reaching Rs. 60 per kilogram, the Central Government has released buffer stock in the market.
The Agriculture Minister had raised serious questions against the role of middlemen in the agricultural marketing system. Reminding the past situation, he said that a few months ago the situation was completely opposite, when onion prices in Maharashtra had fallen to Rs. 7th to Rs. 8 per kilogram. At that time, farmers did not even get the cost of their production, so the Central Government had to intervene and purchase onions from the farmers.
At present most of the farmers have sold their stock, but the open price in the market is Rs. 60 per kg has been reached. Chouhan asked, “Do farmers get full value of their hard work? Do middlemen have the right to earn huge profits? The government is taking strict action in this matter.”* While addressing an industry program organized in Delhi, he also appealed to the industry to cooperate in making a system that protects the interests of both farmers and consumers. For this, the government has also formed a special team.
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Emphasis on food security and modern agriculture
Referring to the global situation, the Agriculture Minister had said that in view of the global developments like the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war, India cannot depend on any other country for food security. He stressed the need for balanced use of chemicals and fertilizers, water conservation, integrated farming, natural farming and adopting climate-smart methods for healthy soil improvement. Besides, agricultural scientists have been directed to go to the fields of farmers and understand their problems and prepare research programs accordingly. Chouhan had called upon the industry to use the Corporate Social Responsibility Fund for capacity building of farmers and modernization of the agriculture sector.