Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi : The central government has banned export of onions with immediate effect, a notification on Sunday.
“Export of all varieties of onions is prohibited with immediate effect,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), an arm of the commerce ministry which deals with exports and import related issues, said in a notification.
The DGFT on September 13 had imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of USD 850 per tonne to curb its shipments and help bring down rising domestic prices
The MEP is the rate below which no exports are allowed.
The central also imposed stock limits on traders—100 quintals for retailers and 500 quintals for wholesalers. State governments have been asked to implement the restrictions.
The development comes as onion prices skyrocketed across the country because of shortage cause by disruption in supply from flood-affected growing states, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Delhi Government has issued orders to have onions sold at a flat price of Rs 23.90 and bas banned hoarding. Chandigarh administration began selling the bulb at a no profit, no loss basis after Punjab Governor and UT administrator VP Singh Badnore. Onions were sold at Rs 32 per kg, almost half the market price, in Chandigarh.
Onions had shot to Rs 60-80 across the country because of the shortage.
Meanwhile, to give relief to consumers from high prices, the central government is offloading 50,000 tonnes of buffer stock of onion across the country.
The Centre last month had also warned of strict action against hoarding of onion amid supply disruption due to floods in parts of major growing states.
