Onion Price Hike: The reason given by the government for imposing onion export duty, the strike of traders continues in the mandis

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onion price hike: Taking lessons from the uproar over the increased prices of tomatoes, the central government has started controlling the prices of onions. However, traders have become angry with the government’s decision to impose 40 percent export duty on onions. Major onion markets of the country are closed indefinitely. In such a situation, the traders have been given clarification by the central government for imposing 40 percent export duty on onions. The government said the decision to impose 40 per cent export duty on onions is a timely step to boost domestic supplies and control retail prices. The government has said this amid protests by farmers at several places in Maharashtra’s Nashik district against the 40 per cent duty imposed on onion exports. Traders are also against the imposition of duty.

Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said that imposing export duty on onions is not a premature decision. Rather, it is a timely decision to increase domestic availability and curb prices. He said that till the situation demands, the government will intervene in the matter by releasing buffer stock of onions in both wholesale and retail markets in selected states. The Center on Saturday imposed a 40 per cent duty on onion exports amid indications of a rise in prices as well as a rise in exports. The decision to impose export duty on onions for the first time is aimed at keeping the prices of onion, a staple vegetable in check, ahead of festivals. According to government data, the retail prices of onions in Delhi have reached around Rs 40 per kg. Rohit Kumar Singh said that at present the government is releasing onions from buffer stock in Delhi, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Assam.

Giving information about onion prices, Rohit Kumar Singh said that in the last two days, 2,500 tonnes of onions were sold in Delhi-NCR at a concessional rate of Rs 25 per kg. The Centre’s decision was also motivated by the increase in onion exports. In this financial year, 9.75 lakh tonnes of onions have been exported from the country between April 1 and August 4. In terms of value, the top three importing countries are Bangladesh, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier in the day, traders decided to stop the wholesale sale of onions indefinitely in all the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) of Nashik district. It also includes Lasalgaon, which is the largest wholesale onion market in India. APMC sources, however, said that the onion auction took place in Vinchur, which is in the same district. Apart from imposing the export duty, the central government on Sunday announced that it will buy an additional two lakh tonnes of onions this year to maintain a total buffer stock of five lakh tonnes.

For the current financial year, the target of onion buffer has been kept at three lakh tonnes. Its purchase has already been done. Presently, buffer stock of onions is being brought to the market in the target markets of select states to improve local availability and check price rise. National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) directed to procure one lakh tonne each to achieve additional procurement target along with systematic disposal of procured stocks in major consumption centers Has been given.

A buffer stock is maintained under the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) to meet any emergency if the rates increase significantly during the lean supply season. Regarding the movement of onions from buffer stock to the market, the ministry had said that it has already started in major markets of States and Union Territories where retail prices are above the all-India average and/or in the previous month. are much higher than. In addition to the release in major markets, onions of the buffer stock are being made available to retail consumers at a subsidized rate of Rs 25 per kg through retail outlets in major markets and mobile vans of NCCF from August 21.

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