publicity especially when it came to capital cities like Delhi. On the other hand, farmers in rural areas were somehow used to the suffering for generations. They hardly ever raised their voice. And even when they did, it used to be so feeble that it hardly reached the policy-makers. Joshi realized that acutely in case of onion prices where it happened three years in a row; 1978, 79 and 80. Many years later, in 2014, Joshi had said in an interview, ‘When price of onion at Pune’s Deccan Gymkhana was one Rupee per kilo, the ticket of the cinema hall balcony was also Rupee one. Today that balcony ticket is Rupees 100 and yet people buy it without grumbling. Therefore, even if the onion prices become Rupees 100 a kilo, why should people shout so much?’ After studying the problem for a couple of years and working out the costs in detail, Joshi concluded that the price of onion had to be minimum Rs. 45 to 60 per quintal. He began to talk about this to others. Two local persons became his colleagues. One was Shankarrao Wagh, a former sarpanch of Chakan who had a shop and the other was Babulal Pardeshi who ran a printing press in Chakan. Several times the trio traversed the Bhamner Valley creating awareness amongst farmers. Shankarrao or Babulal would move around the village repeatedly announcing, ‘International economist, Sharad Joshi, has arrived in our village and will address the farmers. Please take advantage of this rare opportunity.’ The time would be announced. Once enough people had gathered, Joshi would speak explaining why minimum price of onion should be much higher. After all villages got covered Joshi announced a meeting in front of the Market Committee office at Chakan. That time Janata Party was in power in Delhi and Mohan Dharia was the Union Minister for Commerce. There was a big demand for onion overseas and because of export, onion prices were high in Onions in Chakan : First Spark
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