India bans export of onions till end of March 2024

India has banned the export of onion until the end of next year’s March.

The bulk of Maldives’ onion imports are from India. Thus, the ban will pose difficulties in acquiring onion for import.

As per Reuters, a government order issued late on Thursday imposed a ban on exports of onions until March 31, 2024.

Indian news outlet, The Indian Express, said that the nation’s  Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will allow export of onions on three conditions despite the ban; where loading of onions on the ship has commenced before the order, where the shipping bill is filed and vessels have already berthed or arrived and anchored in Indian ports for loading of onion and their rotation number has been allocated before the order and where consignments of onions has been handed over to the Customs before order is registered in their system or where consignments onions has entered the Customs Station for exportation before the order and is registered in the electronic systems of the concerned Custodian of the Customs Station with verifiable evidence of date and time stamping of these commodities having entered the Customs Station.

The deadline for the exportation of such items has been set at January 5, 2024.

Despite the order, exports of onions to other nations will be allowed if requested by the said nation following which the Indian government has granted approval for the purpose.

India had previously imposed a minimum export price of USD 800 per metric ton till the end of this year to discourage exports, in an effort to curb surging local prices.