The central government has authorised the export of 99,150 MT of onions to six nations: Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka.
This decision follows projections of lower Kharif and Rabi onion crops for 2023-24 compared to the previous year, coupled with heightened international demand.
To facilitate this export, the National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) has been tasked with overseeing onion exports to these nations. NCEL will procure onions from domestic producers through an e-platform at competitive rates, supplying them to nominated agencies in destination countries at negotiated prices with full advance payment.
Given Maharashtra’s status as the leading onion producer, it is expected to be a primary contributor to the export supply.
Additionally, the government has permitted the export of 2000 MT of white onions, specifically grown for markets in the Middle East and select European countries. The higher production costs of white onions, attributed to factors like increased seed expenses and compliance with stringent residue limit regulations, necessitate targeted cultivation.
To maintain stability in the domestic market, the government has set a procurement target of 5 lakh tons of onions under the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) for the Rabi-2024 season. Central agencies such as the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) are collaborating with local entities for procurement, storage, and farmer enrollment.
In efforts to minimize storage losses, the Department of Consumer Affairs plans to increase the quantity of onions subjected to irradiation and cold storage from 1200 MT last year to over 5000 MT this year, seeking technical assistance from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai. A recent pilot project on onion irradiation and cold storage, conducted last year, demonstrated storage losses of less than 10 percent.
A high-level delegation comprising officials from the Department of Consumer Affairs, NCCF, and NAFED visited Nashik and Ahmednagar Districts of Maharashtra in mid-April to raise awareness among farmers and local entities regarding onion procurement for the PSF buffer.
