India lifts ban on onion export

Indian government has lifted the ban on onion export after six months.

On Saturday, this information was confirmed by India’s central organization for the control of foreign trade Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)

This decision has mainly been taken to give relief to the traders in Maharashtra ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

India’s Director General of Foreign Trade has fixed the export price of onion at $550 per tonne.

Onion farmers and traders in India, especially in Maharashtra, have long been demanding the lifting of the ban on onion exports. Because they suffer only after banning exports.

In December last year, the Indian government restricted the export of onions till March 31, 2024.

After nearly five months of the export ban, on February 26, India decided to give an exemption for Bangladesh, as well as five other countries, from its ban export of onions, up to a certain amount.

Last month, the export ban was on onion was extended till further orders.

To check the soaring price of onion, the government had imposed a minimum export price of $800 per tonne on October 28 till December 31, 2023. In August last year, India imposed a 40% duty on the export of onions to improve supplies of the staple vegetable in the domestic market until December 31, 2023.