Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Farmers Halt Maharashtra Onion Express Over Alleged Rotten Produce
Farmers in Maharashtra stopped a train carrying onions to Delhi.
They said some of the onions were rotten.
The farmers believed the onions could become even worse during transport.
They also worried that poor-quality onions could reduce the prices they receive for their crops.
The train had been arranged to send onions from government buffer stocks to Delhi.
This effort was intended to help consumers facing high onion prices.
Police moved the protesters away from the railway tracks.
The train later continued its journey at about 3 pm.
Farmers stopped the Delhi-bound ‘Onion Express’ at Lasalgaon station in Nashik on Wednesday.
Protesters alleged rotten onions were being shipped instead of quality produce procured from farmers.
The train was arranged by NAFED and NCCF to transport onions from buffer stocks to Delhi.
Onion prices have risen to around Rs 70 per kilogram, increasing pressure on consumers.
Police removed protesters from the tracks, and the train departed for Delhi around 3 pm.
- Who
- Maharashtra farmers, including Ganesh Nimbalkar of the Prahar organisation, stopped the train; NAFED and NCCF arranged the shipment.
- What
- Protesters halted a Delhi-bound Onion Express after alleging that rotten onions were being transported.
- When
- Wednesday, with the train departing at around 3 pm; the report’s accompanying post is dated August 26, 2026.
- Where
- Lasalgaon Railway Station and goods yard in Nashik, Maharashtra.
- Why
- Farmers sought to prevent the transport of allegedly poor-quality onions and warned that it could harm farmer prices; the shipment was intended to provide relief from high consumer prices.
Farmers’ and Protesters’ Concerns
Government Distribution Initiative
Quality of onions
Farmers’ and Protesters’ Concerns
Farmers alleged that rotten onions were being loaded instead of the quality onions procured from them and said the produce could deteriorate further within two days.
Government Distribution Initiative
NAFED and NCCF arranged the train to dispatch onions from government buffer stocks to Delhi; the article does not report an official response to the quality allegations.
Effect on prices
Farmers’ and Protesters’ Concerns
Prahar warned that transporting large quantities of poor-quality onions could adversely affect prices received by farmers and said it would intensify its agitation if prices were influenced unfairly.
Government Distribution Initiative
The Central Government’s stated initiative was to release onions from its buffer stock to provide relief to consumers facing prices of around Rs 70 per kilogram.
- Train
- ‘Kanda Express’, also called the ‘Onion Express’
- Route
- Lasalgaon Railway Station in Nashik to Delhi
- Reported onion price
- Around Rs 70 per kilogram
- Organizers
- National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF)
- Protest leader
- Ganesh Nimbalkar, an activist associated with Prahar
- Police response
- Railway Protection Force officials and Lasalgaon Police removed protesters from the tracks
- Outcome
- The train departed for Delhi at approximately 3 pm