FIEO urges commerce ministry to exclude 'Bangalore rose' onion from export ban list

New Delhi: Exporters' body FIEO has urged the commerce ministry to lift export ban on 'Bangalore rose' onion as there is a very little demand for this variety of the commodity in the domestic market. On September 14, the government banned the export of all varieties of onions with immediate effect, a move aimed at increasing availability and checking price of the commodity in the domestic market.

In a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) president S K Saraf has sought clearance of onion shipments which are at the various stages of exports and are no longer in the custody of exporters particularly those which have been booked through the railways against the railway receipt or are with the customs for further processing of exports.

"Such measures will immediately and partially relieve the difficulties faced by the onion exporters. We look forward to your favourable consideration in the matter," the letter said.


Saraf has stated that some of the varieties of onions like Bangalore rose hardly have domestic demand and thus prohibition on their exports is "little perplexing" to the trade.

"We, therefore, request you to kindly consider excluding Bangalore rose onion from the prohibition," he wrote.

The Karnataka government has also requested the Centre to lift the ban on export of this category of onion as it would benefit a large number of small and marginal farmers in the state.

According to estimates, annual production of Bangalore rose onion is about 60,000 tonnes per year. About 90 per cent of the produce is shipped to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan.