In separate letters addressed to Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde and Minister of State for Agriculture Som Pal, the Chief Minister said that farmers of Mydukur area in Cuddapah district and Chagalamarri of Kurnool district, had been producing the KP variety since long time. It was a special variety produced exclusively for export purposes. But, with the Centre imposing a blanket ban on onion exports, the farmers were thrown into distress, as this variety had no domestic market.

The price of KP onions crashed to Rs 300 to Rs 400 per quintal, whereas the farmers were getting Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 per quintal before the imposition of the ban, he said.

Naidu further said that the crop, grown in an extent of over 12,000 acres,was expected to yield about 30,000 tonnes during the current season and the farmers were delaying the harvest for want of a proper price. However, the harvest could not be delayed beyond January 10.

Keeping this in view, he requested the Central Government to instruct the NAFED centre at Mydukur to start procurement at the earliest and help the distressed farmers, an official press release said.