India lifts ban on onion export
While the prohibition for onion export has now been removed, DGFT has set the Minimum Export Price (MEP) for onion at $550 per tonne
India has lifted its ban on onion exports with immediate effect, said a notification from the country's Directorate General of Foreign Trade on Saturday.
While the prohibition for onion export has now been removed, DGFT has set the Minimum Export Price (MEP) for onion at $550 per tonne, according to Indian media.
This decision coincides with the upcoming phases of the Lok Sabha elections, particularly in the onion-producing region of Maharastra.
In December last year, the Indian government restricted the export of onions till 31 March 2024.
After nearly five months of the export ban, on 26 February, India decided to exempt Bangladesh, as well as five other countries, from the ban on the export of onions up to a certain amount.
Last month, the export ban on onion was extended till further orders.
To control the soaring price of onion, the government imposed a minimum export price of $800 per tonne from 28 October to 31 December 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 31 December 2023.