Government extends onion export ban till further orders

26 Mar 2024 Evaluate

The Government has extended the export ban on onion till further orders to increase domestic availability and keep its prices under check. Earlier, it was prohibited till March 31 this year. On December 8, 2023, the Government banned the export of onions. However, it allowed the export of onions to friendly countries on a case-to-case basis. It permitted the export of 64,400 tonnes of onion to the UAE and Bangladesh through the National Cooperative Exports (NCEL).

Earlier, the Centre, in October 2023, decided to step up the sale of buffer onion stock at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg in retail markets to provide relief to consumers. The Government imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $800 per tonne on onion exports on October 28, 2023 till December 31, 2023 to control rising prices. 

In August, India had imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onions up to December 31, 2023. In the 2023 rabi season, onion production was estimated to be at 22.7 million tonnes. Usually, rabi onion is stored for consumption in lean season. Even the government buys rabi onions to maintain the buffer.

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