No Prohibition On Exports Of Onion, USD 523 Million Shipped Between April-December 2022: Centre

Just the export of onion seed is prohibited, according to the statement issued by the Ministry.

Representational Image. (File Photo)

There is no prohibition on onion exports, and India shipped the item for USD 523.8 million from April to December 2022, according to the Commerce Ministry on Sunday.

Just the export of onion seed is prohibited, according to the statement issued by the Ministry.

“Government has not restricted or prohibited the export of onions,” the ministry said in a statement.

"DGFT vide Notification No. 50 dt. 28.12.2020 amended export policy of Onion (of all varieties) in cut, sliced or broken in powder form and Bangalore Rose onions and Krishnapuram onions excluding cut, sliced or broken in powder form from 'prohibited' to 'free'," further reads the statement.

Onion exports increased by almost 50% to USD 52.1 million in December 2022.

From April-December this year, the exports grew by 16.3 per cent to USD 523.8 million.

In a tweet on Saturday, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal emphasised that there is no prohibition on onion exports from India to any country, and that inaccurate remarks to the contrary are terrible.

"There is no ban on onion exports from India to any country and misleading statements suggesting the contrary is unfortunate. Infact, from July-December 2022, onion exports have consistently been above the $40 million mark every month, benefiting our Annadatas," the Union Minister tweeted. 

There is no ban on onion exports from India to any country and misleading statements suggesting the contrary is unfortunate.

Infact, from July-December 2022, onion exports have consistently been above the $40 million mark every month, benefiting our Annadatas. https://t.co/tGzwVHCt9J

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) February 25, 2023

The comment was tweeted in response to NCP leader Supriya Sule's tweet on February 25 on onion exports.

या दोन्ही मंत्रालयांनी या परिस्थितीत एकत्रितपणे काम करण्याची गरज आहे.केंद्र सरकारने आता कांद्याची निर्यातबंदी तातडीने मागे घेऊन देशातील जादा कांदा जागतिक बाजारपेठेत पाठविल्यास त्याचा फायदा येथील शेतकऱ्यांना मिळेल.

— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) February 25, 2023

"Onion producing farmers of Maharashtra have to bear the brunt of the lack of consistency in the import-export policy of agricultural commodities. There was a huge influx of onions in the domestic market," she had tweeted.