Nashik: Onion Export Duty Hurts Farmers, Prices Drop to ₹700 per Quintal in Lasalgaon Bazar Samiti

After the central government lifted the ban on onion exports, the inflow of summer onions continues in Lasalgaon Bazar Samiti, Asia's largest onion market.

However, the imposition of export duty on onion exports is negatively affecting both exporters and producers, causing onion prices to fall. Onion producers criticise the government's decision to lift the export ban as merely a show for farmers, as prices have fallen to ₹700 per quintal.

The export price of onion, including the minimum export price and export duty, ranges from ₹65 to ₹70 per kg, which exporters have to pay. While the Centre has allowed the export of kharif onions, it has also imposed an export duty, creating a kind of scam. As a result, onion prices are being adversely affected. Onion producers demand the unconditional lifting of the export ban.

After the export ban was lifted, farmers started bringing their stored onions to the market committee to buy fertilizer and seeds. On May 4, onions fetched an average price of ₹2100 per quintal. However, following the announcement of the export duty, onion prices began to fall again. Compared to May 4, the average price of onions fell by ₹700 to ₹1400 per quintal.