The Indian Government has granted permission for the export of 99,500 tonnes of onions to six neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka.
This decision comes despite the ban on onion exports imposed by India on December 8, 2023.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution of India confirmed the move in an official statement. Additionally, the government has authorized the export of 2,000 tonnes of white onions specifically cultivated for export markets in the Middle East and select European countries.
The export prohibition was initially implemented to safeguard domestic availability amidst lower Kharif and Rabi crop estimates for the year 2023-24 compared to previous years. This measure was enacted amid a surge in international demand for onions.
Under the new arrangement, the National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) has been designated as the agency responsible for onion exports to the aforementioned countries. The onions are sourced domestically and exported through an e-platform at competitive prices.
Furthermore, NCEL is mandated to supply the onions to government-nominated agencies in the destination countries, with transactions conducted on a 100% advance payment basis.
