The situation on the Indian subcontinent is looking desperate; after severe flooding in Pakistan, which destroyed the onion crop, resulted in importers turning to Indian for supplies. During October and November exports of onions from India rose by 35%. However, by late October cyclonic rains in India’s own onion growing regions had seriously damaged this year’s crop. The combination of record exports and a failed domestic crop has seen the price of onions rise to six times that of May last year.

Prices have started falling over the last two days following government intervention, although they remain at a four year high in the worst hit areas. Dehli’s Chief Minister, Shiela Dikshit, has suggested that the price hike may be artificial and that the damage is not as excessive as reported.

However, onion farmers in Nashik have claimed that the Indian government did not step in when unseasonal rains first threatened their crops. Sharad Pawar, a Union Agriculture Minister, said prices will take three weeks to stabilise, but with damage levels at up to 50% of the total crop in affected regions, fingers of blame are being pointed at Mr Pawar for authorising increased exports despite threats of cyclonic rains in harvest season.

Government blamed for authorising excessive exports

 The government has taken flak for allowing excessive exports in the two months prior to the rains; during October and November exports rose by 35%, while the minimum export price decreased by $50, only to be raised by $150 when rains damaged crops in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It was announced on the 21^st December that exports of onions have been suspended until 15^th January, while there have even been reports of importers sourcing onions from Pakistan.

Twelve years ago, under similar circumstances, the onion is said to have brought down the then government, whose inaction in the face of unseasonal bad weather was blamed for their subsequent loss of power.

The severe weather, which has devastated agriculture on the Indian sub-continent over the past weeks and led to interlinking crises on the subcontinent, shows the fragility of farming, and the extent to which food production is susceptible to climactic fluctuation.