Onion export ban to continue till March 31: Govt

Onion export ban to continue till March 31

The government wants to keep onion prices in control and make sure there are enough onions in the country. So, they've decided to keep the ban on exporting onions until March 31, as they previously announced on December 8, 2023.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh has said that the ban on onion exports is still in force and there is no change in its status.

The government's main focus is to ensure that onions are abundant in the country at reasonable prices for consumers, he said.

After news about the possibility of lifting the export ban on onions, the main wholesale onion prices surged by 40.62% to ₹1,800 per quintal on February 19 in Lasalgaon, the biggest wholesale onion market in the country. This was an increase from ₹1,280 per quintal on February 17.

It is unlikely that the ban will be lifted after March 31, before the general elections. This is because winter onion production (Rabi) is expected to be low, mainly due to low cultivation in Maharashtra, according to sources.

During the winter season of 2023 (rabi), the estimated onion production was 22.7 million tonnes.

Officials from the Agriculture Ministry will evaluate the cultivation of winter onions in important states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat in the next few days.

In the meantime, onion exports to friendly countries are permitted on an individual basis, following approval by the Union Cabinet.