Photo archive of Vinchur onion market workers during the farmers’ and traders’ strike against the central government’s decision to impose 40% export duty on onions till December 31, in Nashik, August 22, 2023 | Photo source: PTI
After the decision to allow export of 2,000 tonnes of white onion from Gujarat amid a prolonged ban on onion supplies, which drew criticism from opposition leaders and onion farmers from Maharashtra, the Center seemed to have entered damage control mode, with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs stating that 99,150 tons were allowed to be exported.
The announcement, which came hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first rally on Saturday in western Maharashtra, was welcomed by BJP leaders in the state, including deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who assured that it would facilitate farmers in Maharashtra.
However, horticulture exporters and farmers’ organizations in the country dismissed the announcement as a repackaging of export quotas for six countries already announced in the last two months. “There is no modern notification window or fresh export. In any case, only about 6,000 tonnes of onion has actually been shipped out of the 99,150 tonnes allowed so far under various notifications,” said a Maharashtra exporter This Hindu.
Extended indefinitely
The onion export ban has been in force since December last year and was extended indefinitely last month. In early March, the Center had approved the export of 50,000 tonnes of onions to Bangladesh, 14,400 tonnes to the United Arab Emirates and about 5,000 tonnes to Bhutan, Maldives and Bahrain. This month, an additional 20,000 tonnes were approved for the United Arab Emirates and 10,000 tonnes for Sri Lanka.
All these exports must be routed through National Cooperative Exports Narrow (NCEL). However, the export of white onion was allowed without the involvement of NCEL and without specifying the country of destination.
“As the largest producer of onions in the country, the state of Maharashtra is a major supplier of onions sourced by NCEL for export,” a ministry statement said, adding that exports of white onions were allowed because they are “grown specifically for export markets in the Middle East and some countries European”.
“Once again, Maharashtra is facing injustice from the BJP, only in favor of Gujarat. Why can’t both countries be treated equally? Why is the BJP so against Maharashtra?” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said in a social media post on Saturday, citing the notification that allowed export of white onion certified by the Gujarat Horticulture Commissioner.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh also questioned why farmers from Maharashtra, who mainly grow red onion, were left out of the latest export window. Highlighting that farmers have suffered significant losses since the “arbitrary export ban”, Ramesh said the Congress manifesto promises a stable and predictable import-export policy for farmers.
