The Center allows the export of 99,150 metric tons of onions to six countries: Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka

The Indian government allows the export of 2,000 metric tons of white onions specially grown for export markets in the East The Middle East, Eastern and some European countries

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Distribution allowed the export of 99,150 metric tons of onions to six neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.

It comes. This limited export window is against the backdrop of potential shortfall in domestic supplies due to lower estimates for kharif and rabi crops by 2023 - the growing global demand will rise on September 24, along with rising global demand, the ministry said in a statement. .

National Cooperative Exports (NCEL) has been appointed as the nodal agency for this specific export programme. NCEL procures onions locally through an online platform at competitive prices and supplies them to designated agencies in importing countries on the basis of pre-negotiated prices with 100 per cent advance payment. Maharashtra, the country's largest onion producer, is the main source of these exports.

In addition to standard onions, the government has also allowed the export of 2,000 tonnes of specially grown white onions for export markets. In the Middle East and Europe. These white onions incur higher production costs due to factors such as specialized seed varieties, strict Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) compliance, and compliance with strict Maximum Residue Regulations (MRL).

“To ensure price stability” in the local market, he said. The government, under the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF), has set a target of procuring 5,000 tons of onions for the Rabi 2024 season. FPCs) and Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to facilitate procurement, storage and registration processes for farmers. In addition, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) is implementing measures to reduce post-harvest storage losses.

"In collaboration with the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC). ), Mumbai, the department has significantly increased onion irradiation and cold storage capacity, from 1,200 metric tons last year to over 5,000 metric tons this year. The ministry added that pilot projects implemented in 2023 showed that this joint approach can effectively reduce storage losses to less than 10 percent.