After banning onion export for some time now, there was resentment among onion farmers. Onion is produced in large quantities especially in North Maharashtra of Maharashtra. Onion export was an important issue in two Lok Sabha constituencies namely Nashik and Ahmednagar South. After a two-phase vote, the central government finally decided to lift the ban on onion exports on Friday(May 3rd).
Onion exports have now been allowed at 40 percent duty. Also, duty on import of indigenous gram has been exempted till March 31, 2025. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcome the central government's decision. Reacting to X, he said, “For the decision to withdraw the onion export ban completely, Hon. Numerous thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modiji. The central government issued a notification in this regard last night.
Onion producers in Maharashtra will get a big benefit from this. Care has also been taken to insure that onion growers get a good price while allowing direct export. ”Dindori's BJP candidate Dr. Bharti Pawar replied to this. Also why and how was the 40 percent levy imposed? This was also disclosed. She said, it isn't respectable to the opposition that the decision to ban onion export was withdrawn.
The opposition didn't expect that the central government would take this decision that onion would get a good price and money would go into the farmers' pockets. So they're disillusioned. Export duty per metric ton has been levied on onion exports. Also there are different charges for different countries. But the most important thing is that export has been opened, all the farmers should take advantage of it, appealed Bharti Pawar.
Last week, the central government had allowed the export of 2,000 tones of white onion from Gujarat. After this, the opposition strongly blamed the central government. The central government then reported that a total of 99,150 tones of onion had been exported in 2023- 24. While saying this, the picture was painted on April 28 that the central government had lifted the ban on onion export. But on the veritably coming day, the opponents brought this dust to the notice.
In the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, voting will be held in three constituencies of Dhule, Dindori and Nashik in the major onion producing belt on May 20. Due to the large number of onion-producing voters, the Union government shouldn't be hit in these three constituencies, so the central government has released the aggregate statistics of how numerous onions were allowed to be exported in the last year.
In fact, no new export has been allowed,' Atish Borade, an onion trader from Niphad, alleged last week. Open export of onion remains unrestricted, Center's figures from last year. Onion is grown in large quantities in Maharashtra. The state of Maharashtra is considered to be a major supplier state for onion exports. However, due to the central government's ban on onion export, there was anger among the growers.
Due to the ban on onion export, farmers weren't getting fair prices for their onions. also, the central government allowed the export of 2 thousand metric tons of white onion from Gujarat. So what about onion in Maharashtra? Leaders of opposition parties asked this question.
