Devendra Fadnavis urges Centre to withdraw onion export ban, says 'farmers are dejected'

On Wednesday, former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis wrote to Union Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal urging him to immediately withdraw the ban on the export of onions. He also had a telephonic conversation with Goyal in this regard.  Fadnavis mentioned that the onions cultivated in Maharashtra are in high demand at the international level.

According to him, this helps the farmers get an appropriate price for their produce. Observing that the onion farmers are shocked and dejected due to the export ban, Fadnavis expressed hope that Goyal would take a swift decision. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade banned the export of all varieties of onions with effect from September 14. This does not include cut and sliced onions or those broken in powder form. 

It is perceived that the recent spike in food inflation coupled with the steady rise in wholesale prices of onions played a crucial role in the Centre's decision. While Indian onions have a steady demand round-the-year in West Asia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, there has been a significant increase in demand from some countries. For instance, the demand for Sri Lanka has picked up due to heavy destruction of the onion crop owing to rains. The prices of onions are likely to reduce in the domestic markets because of the export ban. 

Read: Maharashtra: Nashik Farmers Protest Centre's Ban On Onion Exports

Pawar argues against the export ban

Fadnavis' appeal comes a day after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar revealed that the export ban has elicited strong reactions from the onion growing belt in Maharashtra. He met Piyush Goyal and highlighted that onion farmers are mainly small landholders. He reckoned that the Centre's sudden step was a "major blow" to the country's image as a reliable exporter of onions in the international market. 

Moreover, Pawar opined that Pakistan and other onion exporters will immensely benefit from this situation. He added that Goyal had assured him that the ban shall be reconsidered in consultation with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Consumer Protection. On Tuesday, farmers in Nashik's Lasalgaon area, home to one of the largest onion markets in the world, took to the streets in protest against the export ban.

Read: Onion Export Ban: Maharashtra Congress To Protest On Wednesday Against Centre