After lifting restrictions on onion exports, India has exported more than 45,000 tonnes of onion. These exports provided relief to farmers after curbs were imposed to keep domestic supplies steady ahead of general elections. On May 04, 2024, the government had lifted the ban on onion exports but imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $550 per tonne. On December 8, 2023, the government banned export of onions from March 31 this year. In March, the export prohibition was extended till further orders.
Since the ban was lifted, more than 45,000 tonnes of onions have been exported, mostly to the Middle East and Bangladesh. The forecast of a good monsoon this year will ensure better sowing of kharif (summer) crops, including onion from June onwards. State-owned agencies have started procuring onions from the recent rabi (winter) harvest to build a targeted 5,00,000-tonne buffer stock for the current year.
According to the Agriculture Ministry's first estimates, the country's onion production is expected to fall 16 per cent from a year earlier to 25.47 million tonnes in the 2023-24 crop year due to lower output in key growing regions like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.