Despite the ban on onion exports, the Indian government has permitted to export of onions to six countries. These countries include Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka. The onions mainly come from Maharashtra, a state in India. The government has allowed the export of 99,150 tonnes of onions to these neighbouring countries.
India allowed to Export onions to 6 Neighbouring countries
The Indian government has allowed the export of 99,150 tonnes of onions to six neighbouring countries: Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka. This decision comes despite the ban on onion exports, which was imposed to ensure enough onions are available domestically due to lower crop yields in 2023-24.
The National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), responsible for onion exports, sources onions from within India at the lowest prices and exports them through an e-platform. The exported onions are sold to agencies nominated by the destination countries, and payment is made in advance.
NCEL sets its prices based on the current rates in both domestic and international markets, ensuring fairness to all parties involved. The allocated export quota is fulfilled based on requests from the destination countries. Maharashtra, being the largest onion producer in India, is the primary source of onions for export through NCEL.
India relaxed the ban on onion exports
In addition to regular onions, the government also permitted the export of 2,000 tonnes of white onions, specially grown for markets in the Middle East and parts of Europe. White onions have higher production costs due to expensive seeds, strict farming practices, and adherence to residue limits.
The government aims to procure 5 lakh tonnes of onions from the Rabi crop of 2024 under the Price Stabilization Fund. Central agencies like NCCF and NAFED are collaborating with local agencies to facilitate procurement, storage, and farmer registration.
A team from the Department of Consumer Affairs, NCCF, and NAFED visited Nashik and Ahmednagar districts in Maharashtra to raise awareness among farmers and local organizations about the onion procurement program.
To minimize onion storage losses, the government plans to increase the amount of irradiated and cold-stored onions from 1,200 tonnes to over 5,000 tonnes this year. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai will provide technical support for this initiative.
The onion irradiation and cold storage pilot initiated last year have shown promising results, reducing storage losses to less than 10%, according to the statement. In March, the Union Agriculture Ministry released data on onion production. The data indicates that onion production for 2023-24 (First Advance Estimates) is projected to be approximately 254.73 lakh tonnes, compared to around 302.08 lakh tonnes last year.
