Farmers in Nashik district are expressing frustration over the government's onion procurement price of Rs 15.80 per kg, which they claim does not cover their production costs. The Centre recently relaxed procurement norms under NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd), expanding the permissible onion size from 45-65mm to 35-70mm and easing quality criteria. However, farmers argue that the current procurement price is significantly lower than market rates, which are around Rs 18-19 per kg at Lasalgaon APMC, India's largest onion market. Jaideep Bhadane, president of the Maharashtra State Onion Growers Association, insists that a minimum procurement price of Rs 30 per kg is necessary due to rising costs of diesel, labour, and fertilizers. Jitendra Solanke, an onion grower, highlighted that the announced rate is insufficient for covering input costs, making it difficult for farmers to sustain their households and repay loans. With the Kharif season approaching, farmers are anxious about timely procurement to avoid further losses.