Workers at Vinchur onion market in Nashik. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Centre has imposed a ban on the export of onions till March 31, 2024, to curb the surging native costs of the product.
A Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) order late on Thursday stated: “Export policy of onions… is amended from free to prohibited till March 31, 2024.”
Earlier, on August 19, the Union authorities had imposed a 40% responsibility on the export of onions (minimal export value of $800 per metric ton) till December 31, to extend home availability amid indicators of accelerating costs and supply reduction to native shoppers.
In its order, the DGFT additionally stated that the onion exports, nevertheless, can be allowed primarily based on permission granted by the federal government to different international locations primarily based on their request and that shipments, whose loading had commenced earlier than the contemporary notification, are allowed to be exported.
In response to the Centre’s announcement of a ban on the export of onions till March 31, 2024, farmers in Maharashtra’s Nashik district took to the streets, blocking the Mumbai-Agra National Highway at three places and disrupting auctions
The farmers additionally halted auctions in Lasalgaon, Asia’s largest wholesale onion market, Chandwad, Nandgaon, Dindori, Yeola, Umarane, and different locations in Nashik.
Stating that the ban would adversely impression farmers, protesters staged street blockades with tractors for hours. With no public sale on the Lasalgaon APMC, over 600 onion-laden automobiles had been redirected to Vinchur with wholesale costs starting from ₹1,500 to ₹3,300 per quintal.
Lasalgaon APMC chairperson Balasaheb Kshirsagar condemned the federal government’s choice, claiming it was unfavourable to farmers.
“Onion prices had recently come down, and the ban would lead to losses. Presently, onion prices range from ₹1,000 to ₹1,200 per quintal, despite some selling at ₹3,000 per quintal,” he stated, alleging middlemen for synthetic value inflation.
Mr. Kshirsagar demanded direct authorities gross sales with out the involvement of middlemen.
“Farmers had already suffered losses due to unseasonal rainfall and hail. It must revoke its decision on the ban to support farmers,” one other farmer stated.
The farmers and merchants associations are prone to meet Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy Ajit Pawar, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar to specific their considerations.
