Onion exports dip 28%
India's onion exports declined by 27.79 per cent during April-July this year over the same period in 2006, owing to high prices quoted by agencies undertaking sales, besides tough competition from Pakistan and China.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: India's onion exports declined by 27.79 per cent during April-July this year over the same period in 2006, owing to high prices quoted by agencies undertaking sales, besides tough competition from Pakistan and China.
Exports of onion dipped to 2.78 lakh tons till July 28 in the current fiscal, against 3.85 lakh tons in the year-ago period, a senior official of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) said.
Of the total exports, Nafed's contribution was over one lakh tons, he added. Nafed is one of the 13 designated agencies permitted to export onion.
The agencies have raised the minimum export price (MEP) of the commodity by 20 dollar per tonne from August 1 to discourage overseas sales for stabilising prices in the domestic markets, which have shot up due to short supply.
"These agencies are under pressure to hike the MEP in order to discourage exports and increase the domestic availability of onions," exporters said.
India's main export destinations are the Gulf countries and neighbouring Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Some quantity also goes to countries like Malaysia and Singapore, the official said.
As a new crop is expected to arrive in its domestic market next month, Sri Lanka may not require to import onion from India from August, he said.
Currently, onions from China and Pakistan are competing with the Indian commodity in the overseas markets, traders said.
Exports of onion dipped to 2.78 lakh tons till July 28 in the current fiscal, against 3.85 lakh tons in the year-ago period, a senior official of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) said.
Of the total exports, Nafed's contribution was over one lakh tons, he added. Nafed is one of the 13 designated agencies permitted to export onion.
The agencies have raised the minimum export price (MEP) of the commodity by 20 dollar per tonne from August 1 to discourage overseas sales for stabilising prices in the domestic markets, which have shot up due to short supply.
"These agencies are under pressure to hike the MEP in order to discourage exports and increase the domestic availability of onions," exporters said.
India's main export destinations are the Gulf countries and neighbouring Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Some quantity also goes to countries like Malaysia and Singapore, the official said.
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As a new crop is expected to arrive in its domestic market next month, Sri Lanka may not require to import onion from India from August, he said.
Currently, onions from China and Pakistan are competing with the Indian commodity in the overseas markets, traders said.
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