Onions

The Union Agriculture Ministry has suggested that district administration should be involved in procurement of onion to ensure transparency and check irregularities in the purchase process. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs B L Verma said, the Department of Agriculture constituted a fact finding committee to look into allegations of irregularities in the procurement of onions under Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). The department, vide OM (office memorandum) dated 4th November, 2024, "conveyed the suggestions that concerned district administration should be involved in the procurement process to ensure transparency and local oversight, to adopt biometric based verification of farmers, and payment to registered farmers bank account through Aadhaar Enabled Payment system", he added. Onions for PSF buffer are procured by NAFED and National Cooperative Consumers' ...

The government on Wednesday said about 840 tonne of buffer onion arrived via rail at Delhi's Kishanganj railway station, as part of its multi-pronged strategy to control prices. This marks the second major rail delivery after 1,600 tonne reached Delhi on October 20 through 'Kanda Express', an official statement said. The shipment, procured by NAFED under the price stabilization fund, will primarily be released through Azadpur Mandi, with a portion earmarked for retail sale at Rs 35 per kg. Retail prices of onion are ruling at Rs 60-80 per kg in the national capital depending upon the quality and locality. In a first, the government has adopted rail transport for timely and cost-effective delivery of onions across regions. NAFED earlier transported 840 MT to Chennai on October 26, while another consignment of similar quantity departed from Nashik for Guwahati early Wednesday. The government had built a buffer of 4.7 lakh tonne during the rabi season and began releasing from Septem

The government has intensified its efforts to check onion prices by stepping up the sale of buffer stock in wholesale markets, following a spike in retail prices after the recent removal of export duty. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare on Monday said the Centre has begun offloading onions from its buffer stock in wholesale markets of Delhi and other key cities, with plans to expand subsidised retail sales nationwide. "We anticipated a price surge after lifting the export duty. With our 4.7 lakh tonne buffer stock and increased kharif sowing area, we expect to keep onion prices in check," Khare told reporters here. The government plans to increase retail sales of onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg across India, focusing on cities where prices exceed the national average. Official data shows retail onion price in Delhi at Rs 55 per kg on September 22, up from Rs 38 per kg a year ago. Prices in Mumbai and Chennai have reached Rs 58 and Rs 60 per kg, respectively. Sinc

The Centre on Thursday began the first phase of retail sales of onion at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg to provide relief to Delhi-NCR and Mumbai consumers from rising prices of the kitchen staple. NCCF and NAFED, which are maintaining a buffer stock of 4.7 lakh tonne onion on behalf of the government, will undertake the retail sale through their own stores and mobile vans. Onion will be sold at 38 retail points in Delhi-NCR and Parel and Malad in Mumbai. Onion will also be sold at a subsidised rate on the e-commerce platforms and outlets of Kendriya Bhandar and Mother Dairy's SAFAL in major consumption areas. Currently, retail prices of onion are ruling over Rs 60 per kg, depending on the quality and locality in the national capital. After the launch, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the quantity and disposal channels for onion will be enhanced, deepened, intensified and diversified as per the trend in onion prices. He said more cities will be covered in t

India exported 2.6 lakh tonne of onions till July of this fiscal year, the government said on Wednesday. "Government has lifted the onion prohibition from 4th May, 2024 and allowed the export with minimum export price of (MEP) of USD 550 per tonne and export duty of 40 per cent. "Till 31st July, 2024, a total quantity of 2.60 lakh tonne of onion had been exported in current financial year 2024-25," Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs B L Verma said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. India had exported 16.07 lakh tonne of onions in the last fiscal. Further, he said the government had procured 4.68 lakh tonne, majorly from Maharashtra, through NCCF and NAFED for the price stabilisation buffer. "In comparison with last year (2023), the price realisation by onion farmers in current year has been much higher. The average monthly mandi modal prices of onion in Maharashtra between April and July, 2024 were in the range of Rs 1,230 to Rs 2,578 per quintal as against Rs 693 to Rs

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In 2023, the average rate at which the Centre procured onions from Maharashtra was Rs 16.93 per kg. This year, it is procuring at around Rs 29.5 per kg via direct benefit transfer

The export ban was imposed by the world's biggest exporter of the vegetable last December and then extended in March

The Centre on Saturday said it has allowed exports of 99,500 tonnes of onions, mainly sourced from Maharashtra, to six neighbouring countries despite the ban on shipments. The Centre has also allowed exports of 2,000 tonnes of white onion cultivated, especially, for export markets in the Middle East and some European countries. On December 8, 2023, the government banned export of onions. In an official statement, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said the government has "allowed export of 99,150 tonnes of onion to six neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka". The export prohibition has been imposed to ensure adequate domestic availability against the backdrop of estimated lower Kharif and Rabi crops in 2023-24 compared to the previous year. The ban was imposed amid an increase in demand in the international market, it added. The National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), the agency for the export of onion to

Easing export ban, the government on Thursday permitted overseas shipments of a specified quantity of white onion from three ports. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in a notification said that the exporter shall have to get the certificate from the Horticulture Commissioner, Government of Gujarat, certifying the item and quantity of white onion to be exported. "Exports of up to an aggregate quantity not exceeding 2,000 MT (tonnes) of white onion has been allowed through the specified ports, taken together, with immediate effect," it said. The exports are allowed from Mundra Port, Pipavav Port and Nhava Sheva/JNPT Port. Exports of onion -- a politically sensitive commodity -- are banned in general. However, the government allows specified quantities of shipments to friendly nations on their requests. DGFT is an arm of the commerce ministry, which deals with norms related to imports and exports. On December 8 last year, the government banned exports of onion with a v

The government is planning to procure 5 lakh tonnes of onions this year for its buffer stock that can be used to intervene in the market in case of a price rise, according to sources. The food and consumer affairs ministry had created 5 lakh tonnes of buffer stock last year, of which 1 lakh tonne is still available, they added. Agencies like NCCF and NAFED will procure onion on behalf of the government. Sources said that the government's decision to sell onions at a subsidised rate from its buffer stock has helped in controlling prices. The government will take a decision on lifting the ban on onion exports later this month. The ban is till March 31. The government's plan to create buffer stock comes amid an estimated fall in onion output in 2023-24. "Production of onion in 2023-24 is expected to be around 254.73 lakh tonnes compared to around 302.08 lakh tonnes last year due to a decrease of 34.31 lakh tonnes in Maharashtra, 9.95 lakh tonnes in Karnataka, 3.54 lakh tonnes in And

The Centre has so far procured 25,000 tonnes of onion grown in the 2023 kharif season for maintaining a buffer stock, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said on Monday. The government is procuring onion to maintain a buffer stock and use it for market intervention to boost domestic availability and keep prices in check. The government has raised the buffer stock target to 7 lakh tonnes for the 2023-24 fiscal, against the actual stock of 3 lakh tonnes last year. According to the Secretary, the government had procured 5 lakh tonnes from last year's rabi season and is purchasing 2 lakh tonnes of kharif onion as the buffer stock target has been raised. "About 25,000 tonnes of kharif onion has so far been procured from mandis. The procurement is underway," he told PTI. Of the 5 lakh tonnes of rabi onion lying in the buffer stock, the government has offloaded 3.04 lakh tonnes of onion through cooperative Nafed and NCCF in the market to check prices. As a result, the all-India

The wholesale price of onions in Azadpur Mandi plunged to Rs 30-40 per kg. No relief in retail prices in Delhi NCR so far, but the government is selling onions at subsidised prices

Police have registered an FIR against two persons for allegedly cheating an onion trader from Navi Mumbai of Rs 2.07 crore after assuring him good returns on investment in export of the key kitchen staple, an official said on Tuesday. With the promise of good returns, the accused allegedly made the trader invest Rs 2.36 crore in the export business, the official from CBD Belapur police station said. One of the accused, from Mulund in neighbouring Mumbai, later exported onion worth Rs 3.20 crore to Dubai and allegedly got payment through 'hawala' (illegal money transfer system). Out of the proceeds, the accused gave Rs 29 lakh to the trader, he said. The trader approached the police with a complaint alleging that he was cheated of Rs 2.07 crore. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered on Monday against the Mulund-based accused and his associate from Mira Bhayander area here under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 34 (common intention

Multiple farmers spoke to Business Standard, stating that they require between Rs 90,000 to Rs 1,30,000 to produce onions on a single acre of land

The government on Tuesday restarted onion procurement at Rs 2,410 per quintal in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh for its buffer stock, to protect the interest of farmers amid export curbs imposed to arrest the rising retail prices of the key kitchen commodity ahead of festival season. On August 19, the government imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onions to restrict outward shipments and boost local availability amid apprehension about the Kharif output. Briefing media, the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal said, while imposing export duty on onion, the government simultaneously decided to procure an additional 2 lakh tonnes of onion from farmers for the buffer stock. "This was done to protect the interest of farmers. This will give better prices to the farmers," Goyal said. Cooperatives National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) are undertaking procurement in

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the Centre has decided to purchase two lakh metric tonnes of onion at the rate of Rs 2,410 per quintal, and expressed hope this will provide relief to producers of the key kitchen staple in the state. He also said special procurement centres will be set up in Nashik and Ahmednagar in the state. The announcement comes amid protests by farmers and traders against the Centre's decision to impose 40 per cent export duty on onions to check price rise and improve supplies in the domestic market. The Finance Ministry through a notification on August 19 imposed the 40 per cent export duty on onions till December 31, 2023. Fadnavis, who is currently on a visit to Japan, in a post on X said, I spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal regarding the onion issue. The Union government would procure two lakh metric tonnes of onion at the rate of Rs 2,410 per quintal. There will be special .

Farmers protested in several places in Nashik district in Maharashtra on Monday against the Union government's decision to impose export duty of 40 per cent on onions till December 31, which they claimed will curb their chances of getting good prices for the kitchen staple. The protests included a sit-in agitation on Nashik-Aurangabad highway in which farmers wore garlands made of onions and shouted slogans against the Centre's decision. Activists of the Late Sharad Joshi Shetkari Sanghatana also staged a rasta-roko (traffic stoppage) in front of Yeola APMC on Manmad-Yeola highway and sought rollback of the export duty decision. The protest, which lasted for around 30 minutes, led to traffic queues on the arterial road, officials said. Farmers said they were already distressed with natural calamities and the decision to impose export duty would further dent their chances of earning well from their produce. "Already there is a drought like situation. Now, when we were starting to g

Though India has a huge stock of onions, the high proportion of bad-quality onions due to excessive summer heat this year had led to an increase in the prices of good-quality onions

The Central Railway has sent six wagons loaded with onions to Manipur from Manmad in Maharashtra's Nashik district, a CR official said on Tuesday. In the wake of the prevailing law and order situation in Manipur leading to scarcity of essential items, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in co-operation with the state's transport department on Sunday sent the first goods trains carrying essential commodities to the violence-hit north-eastern state, officials said on Monday. The inaugural goods train reached Khongsang railway station in Manipur's Tamenglong district from Guwahati on Monday. Talking to PTI, Central Railway's chief public relations officer Dr Shivraj Manaspure said onions were loaded in 22 wagons at Ankai goods shed near Manmad station in Nashik for Changsari station near Guwahati in Assam, from where six wagons were sent to Khongsang station in Manipur. "A total of six wagons reached Khongsang station on Monday," he said. A local trader had booked the wagons from A