Page 2 - Onion

Onion prices in Maha fell 5-9% after decision to fix MEP, says Centre

The Centre on Monday said prices of onion in Maharashtra fell by 5-9 per cent from last week following its decision to fix minimum export price. On Saturday, the Centre imposed a Minimum Export Price (MEP) of USD 800 per tonne on onion exports till December 31 to boost the availability of the vegetable in the domestic market. In an official statement, the government said its "decision to impose Minimum Export Price of USD 800/ton on Onion with effect from 29th October 2023 till 31st December 2023 to discourage exports and maintain availability in domestic markets has shown an immediate impact of price correction in Maharashtra markets". In Maharashtra, prices recorded a decline of 5 per cent to 9 per cent from the highest price registered during last week, it added. The weighted average price of onion in Maharashtra across all the markets has declined by 4.5 per cent and a similar decline was observed in consumption centres as well. The Department of Consumer Affairs is monitoring

Onion traders in Nashik go on indefinite strike; govt orders strict action

Onion traders have said that they suspended auctions in all agriculture produce market committees in Nashik district of Maharashtra and their protest will continue indefinitely, a development raising the fear of shortage of the kitchen staple in retail markets and hike in prices. An office-bearer of the Nashik District Onion Traders Association (NDOTA) said on Wednesday they were protesting against the Union government's recent move to increase export duty on onions up to 40 per cent, which will remain in force till December 31. Taking serious cognisance, the District Sub-registrar, Co-operative Societies, on Wednesday night issued an order directing all APMCs to suspend or cancel the licences of the striking traders and submit the Action Taken Report on September 21. "In protest against the export duty hike decision, we have decided to shut the auction of onions in all APMCs in the district indefinitely. This (export duty hike) decision of the Centre will not only make export of ..

Nepal traders resume importing onions from India to calm rising demand

Traders in Nepal have resumed importing onions from India to meet the soaring domestic demand ahead of a festival season, days after the supply was halted following India's decision to slap a 40 per cent export tax on the vegetable. Last week, India, the world's biggest exporter of onions, imposed a 40 per cent tariff on the export of the vegetable till December 31 to restrict overseas sales. The move reportedly came amid an anticipation of a price rise ahead of the festival season when demand for most commodities goes up. The new tariff had severely affected Nepal as several traders in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market - the Himalayan nation's largest wholesale market for agricultural products - reported a sudden scarcity of onions. Nepal imports 99 per cent of its onion requirements from India. Traders in Nepal imported 265 tonnes of onions from India in the last 48 hours which helped resume smooth supply of the vegetable ahead of the festival season. On Wednesday, 120 ton

Onion export duty: Auctions begin in Maha APMCs, stop later over low prices

Onion auctions resumed for some time in a few APMCs in Nashik in Maharashtra on Thursday after being stalled since Monday even as more than 500 farmers blocked the Mumbai-Agra highway seeking cancellation of the Union government's decision to impose 40 per cent export duty on the kitchen staple, officials said. Auctions began at the APMCs in Lasalgaon, the largest wholesale onion market in the country, as well as Pimpalgaon and Chandwad in the morning but were stopped some time later after the farmers did not get the Rs 2,410 quintal as promised by NAFED, an apex organisation under the Union Agriculture ministry, and NCCF, they said. Officials said farmers also stopped the auction since personnel from NAFED, or National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited, were absent during the auctions. "In Lasalgaon, as many as 300 vehicles laden with onions arrived for auction in the morning with minimum price per quintal being Rs 600, the maximum being Rs 2,500 and ..

Nepal faces shortage after India slaps 40% tax on onion exports: Report

Nepal has started to face an acute shortage of onions, days after neighbouring India slapped a 40 per cent export tax on the vegetable, a media report said on Wednesday. India last week imposed a 40 per cent tariff on the export of onions till December 31 to restrict overseas sales. The move comes amid anticipation of a price rise ahead of the festival season when demand for most commodities goes up, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported. The new tariff has severely affected Nepal as several traders in Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market -- the Himalayan nation's largest wholesale market for agricultural products-- reported a sudden scarcity of onions. There is a severe scarcity of onions in the Nepalese markets now. No onion shipments have been delivered since Sunday, and the remaining stocks were sold out by Monday, Binay Shrestha, Information Officer for the country's largest produce bazaar, was quoted as saying in the report. Shrestha said that onions cost Rs 54 per kg two week

Onion auctions to resume at APMCs in Nashik from Aug 24: Traders' rep

Onion auctions at all APMCs in Maharashtra's Nashik district, closed for three days now, will resume from Thursday as traders protesting the imposition of 40 per cent export duty on the key kitchen staple have decided to withdraw the agitation, a traders' representative here said on Wednesday. The decision was taken in a meeting of the representatives of traders-exporters and farmers with Union minister Dr Bharati Pawar here on Wednesday. After the meeting, Pawar also said a representative of the traders in Nashik informed in the meeting that they are withdrawing the decision of closure of onion auctions at the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and the operations there will start tomorrow. "About the 40 per cent export duty, we will request the Union government to rethink and take a positive decision on the issue," she said. Pawar, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, is the member of Parliament from Dindori in Nashik. Onion auctions at most of th

Centre to procure additional 200K-tonne onions amid farmer protest

The Centre already has a buffer stock of 300,000 tonnes of onions, which it has now decided to expand to 500,000 tonnes

Govt's policy neither beneficial to farmers nor consumers: Sena (UBT)

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday slammed the Centre over its decision to impose 40 per cent export duty on onions and claimed the government's policy is neither beneficial to farmers nor consumers. An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' further claimed the Modi government gives assurances of doubling the income of farmers, but works in a way that they do not even get the expected income. On August 19, the central government imposed 40 per cent export duty on onions to restrict outward shipments and boost local availability, amid apprehension about the kharif output and signs of firming of retail prices. The decision led to protests by farmers and traders in various parts of Maharashtra, especially in Nashik district. The policy of the government is neither beneficial to farmers nor consumers, the editorial in Saamana said. Whenever there is a chance for farmers to earn a little more money, the government either resorts to export duty or ban on exports, the Marathi daily

Onion export duty: Amid protests, MoS tells farmers prices will not crash

Amid a protest by farmers and traders against the imposition of 40 per cent export duty on onions by the Centre, Union Minister Bharti Pawar on Monday said prices of the kitchen staple will not crash. During the day, auctions of onions in APMCs in Nashik were halted in protest and several farmers and traders held protests across the district seeking a rollback of the export duty. "Prices of onions will not crash so farmers must not worry. The demand is growing and thinking about the people first is the policy of the Union government," she told reporters here. The government has taken the (export duty) decision to balance demand and supply and NAFED has been directed to procure additional two lakh tonnes of onion as buffer stock, Pawar said. She said the opposition was attacking the government over the rise in prices of onions and the move was to ensure there is availability of the crop in the domestic market. She said Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distributi

Onion export duty 'timely' move to boost domestic supply, check price rise

The government on Monday said the decision to impose a 40 per cent export duty on onions was not a "premature" but a timely move to boost domestic supply and control retail prices. The statement comes amid farmers' protest at several places in Nashik district in Maharashtra against the 40 per cent duty imposed on onion exports. Traders are also against the imposition of the duty. "It is not a premature decision to impose export duty on onion. It is a timely decision taken to increase the domestic availability and check prices," Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told PTI. Till the situation demands, Singh said the government will intervene with release of buffer onions in both the wholesale and retails markets in select states. On Saturday, the Centre imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions amid signs of price rise as well as increase in outward shipments. The decision to impose export duty on onions for the first time ever is also aimed to curbing price

Maharashtra farmers protest at markets against 40% duty on onion export

Farmers in at least three districts in Maharashtra on Sunday protested at APMCs against the Centre's decision to impose a 40 per cent duty on the export of the kitchen staple. Amid protests, state Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde said he would speak with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday and try to find some "amicable" solution to the issue. A day after the Central government imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions till December 31, 2023, wholesale markets at Satana, Malegaon and Lasalgaon (In Nashik district), in Ahmednagar, and at Manchar and Khed in Pune district saw protests by farmers. Munde's cabinet colleague Chhagan Bhujbal said he would raise the onion export duty issue with the state deputy chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. "I will request him to discuss this with officials in Delhi. We will try to take steps to find an amicable solution, Bhujbal told reporters. A Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna (SSS) leader said ...

NCCF to sell onion at subsidised rate of Rs 25/kg in Delhi from tomorrow

Cooperative NCCF will commence retail sale of onion from the government buffer stock at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg in the national capital from Monday to give relief to consumers from high prices of the kitchen staple, its top official said on Sunday. The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) is already selling tomatoes on behalf of the central government at a subsidised rate and it has now been mandated to retail buffer onion. The government has created a buffer stock of 3 lakh tonne of onion for 2023-24 fiscal. It has also decided to procure additional 2 lakh tonne onion for the buffer this year. "To begin with, we will start retailing buffer onions in Delhi. We will sell at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg through our mobile vans and two retail outlets," NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra told PTI. Around 10 mobile vans will be dispatched on Monday in the national capital and more areas will be covered gradually. NCCF will also sell the ...

Govt to procure 200,000 tn of onion to create total 500,000 tn buffer stock

The government on Sunday announced it will procure an additional 2 lakh tonnes of onion in order to maintain a total buffer stock of 5 lakh tonnes this year and use that for retail intervention. The announcement has come a day after the government imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions to improve local supplies and check its prices. For the current 2023-24 fiscal, the target for onion buffer was kept at 3 lakh tonnes, which has already been procured. Currently, the same buffer stock is being disposed of in the targeted markets in select states to improve the local availability and check price rise. According to the official data, all-India average retail price of onion was ruling 19 per cent higher at Rs 29.73 per kg on Sunday compared to Rs 25 per kg in the year-ago period. In Delhi, retail price of onion has increased to Rs 37 per kg from Rs 28 per kg in the said period. "In an unprecedented move the government raised the quantum of onion buffer to 5 lakh tonne this .

Centre imposes 40% export duty on onion to improve local supplies

The government on Saturday imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions to check price rise and improve supplies in the domestic market. The Finance Ministry through a notification imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onions till December 31, 2023. The export duty comes amid reports that onion prices are likely to rise in September.

Govt to release buffer onion in open market to keep prices under check

The government on Friday announced it will release onion from its buffer stock in the targeted regions with immediate effect to ensure prices remain under check till the new crop arrives from October onwards. The government is exploring multiple options for disposal of onion: e-auction, e-commerce as well as through states at discounted rates via retail outlets of their consumer cooperatives and corporations, it said. The government has currently maintained 3 lakh tonnes of onion under the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to meet any exigencies, if rates go up significantly during the lean supply season. As per the government data, onion prices have started inching up slightly as all-India retail price of the key kitchen staple was available at Rs 27.90 per kilogramme on August 10, higher by a little over Rs 2 per kg in the year-ago period. "We will release onion from the buffer stock immediately," Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told PTI. The modalities for the disposa

Govt procures 20% more onion at 300k tonnes for buffer stock this year

The government has procured 20 per cent more onion at 3 lakh tonnes as buffer stock this year, while also piloting irradiation of onion with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to increase shelf life, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said on Sunday. In the 2022-23 fiscal, the government had maintained 2.51 lakh tonnes of onion as buffer stock. The buffer stock is maintained under the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) to meet any exigencies, if rates go up significantly during the lean supply season. "To meet any eventuality in the festival season, the government this year developed a robust buffer to an extent of 3 lakh tonnes. There is no problem with onions," Singh told PTI. Onion that is procured for the buffer stock is from the just completed rabi season. Presently, the kharif onion sowing is underway and its arrival begins in October. The Secretary said, "Usually, onion prices in the retail markets come under pressure for 20 days or so till the fresh kharif crop hit

Tomato is not the villain of the rise in retail inflation in June

The kitchen staple may, however, be responsible for its spike in July

Govt asks Agri Min to give more incentive to kharif onion to boost supply

The consumer affairs ministry has asked the agriculture ministry to give more incentive and impetus to kharif onion during the festival period in the winter season to avoid any spike in prices, a top government official said on Friday. Normally, onion prices shoot up during the winter season, as stored rabi onion gets exhausted and fresh kharif onion cannot be stored. Currently, the sowing of kharif onion is underway. Briefing media, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said the kharif onion plays a critical role during the festival period in winter. "To ensure availability during that time, we have requested the agriculture ministry to give more incentive and impetus to kharif onions. This point was emphasised in the meeting of the cabinet secretary yesterday," Kumar said. The country's onion production is estimated at 319 lakh tonne in the ongoing 2023 calendar year, slightly lower than 324 lakh tonne in the previous year, he said. Onion is produced in two seasons -- ra

Onion growers will be given financial relief of Rs 350 a quintal: Maha CM

The Maharashtra government has accepted most of the demands made by farmers who are marching from Nashik to Mumbai and onion cultivators will be given financial relief of Rs 350 a quintal, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde told the state Assembly on Friday and urged the protesters to end their nearly week-long stir. Earlier in the day, representatives of the agitating farmers and tribals said their 200km 'long march' has been halted for now, but they will resume their walk to Mumbai if the state government does not come out with concrete steps to address their demands. The foot march by thousands of farmers and tribals, which started from Dindori town in Nashik district in North Maharashtra on Sunday last, has reached Vasind town, around 80km from Mumbai The chief minister informed the House that he had held discussions with a farmers' delegation over 14 points, including forest rights, encroachment of forest land, transfer of land belonging to temple trusts and grazing grounds to ...

Why falling prices of onions and potatoes are distressing farmers

Prices of these three commodities have seen perhaps the wildest fluctuations in agriculture commodities among all crops for multiple reasons