Open onion export 8212; Traders

In a memorandum addressed to the minister, chairman of the association Pravin Raisoni emphatically stated that unless the ban was lifted, India would lose its position in the international market. At present, the availability of onion is almost three times the quantity required normally. It is but natural that prices of onions will go down upto Rs 200-250 per quintal if the situation continues, he explained. He felt that the only option to overcome the situation was to open the export of onion unconditionally.

This year, the total available stock of onion was over 10 lakh metric tonne. Out of this, 4 lakh metric tonne are expected to be sold upto August end and the remaining 6 lakh metric tonne would remain with farmers, traders and NAFED, he said pointing that all the states had recorded an excess crop of onions.

In Gujarat and Rajasthan, plantation of onions is going on while fresh onions were ready to enter the market in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. From these three states daily 200 truck-loads were distributed in big southern markets like Bangalore, Chennai and Pollachi. In September throughout Maharashtra there would be fresh onions, he said.

Raisoni feared that with the strong reduction in the demand for fresh onion and no permission for exports, a situation could arise where the onions have to be destroyed leading to overall disturbance among the farmers.