Lok Sabha Question No. 278 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-19
Subject: Prices of Onion and other Primary Items
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: H. Vasanthakumar

## Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 278

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.11.2019

## PRICES OF ONION AND OTHER PRIMARY ITEMS

## 278. SHRI VASANTHAKUMAR H.:

## Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC  DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  action  to  normalise  price  of  onion  and  other  primary items across the country; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh nkuos jkolkgsc nknkjko½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a)  &  (b)  :    Government  has  taken  various  measures from time to time to stabilize prices of essential food  items  including  onions  which,  inter-alia,  include  appropriately  utilizing  trade  and  fiscal  policy instruments like import duty and export management through instruments like Minimum Export Price, export restrictions, etc., to regulate domestic availability and moderate prices; imposition of stock limits and  advising  States/UTs  for  effective  action  against  hoarders  &  black  marketers.  The  benefits  to exporters  of  onions  under  Merchandise  Exports  from  India  Scheme  (MEIS)  was  withdrawn  through notification  dated  11.06.2019.  Government,  on  29  September  2019,  imposed  stock  limits  on  traders across  the  country  -  100  quintals  on  retail  traders  and  500  quintals  on  wholesale  traders  under  the Essential Commodities Act, to address the rise in price of Onion. Also, initially, Minimum Export Price (MEP)  of  $850  was  imposed on  13.11.2019  and  subsequently  export  of  onions  was  banned  on  29 September, 2019 to improve its domestic availability. The Government has also decided to import up to 1  LMT of onion through MMTC and procure surplus onion from Rajasthan for distribution in deficit States/UTs.  Government  is  also  implementing  Price  Stabilization  Fund  (PSF)  to  help  moderate  the volatility  in  prices  of  agri-horticultural  commodities  like  pulses,  onion,  and  potato.  Also,  appropriate Minimum Support Prices are promulgated to incentivize farmers for increasing production. Government is  also  implementing  Schemes  which,  inter  alia,  include  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of Horticulture (MIDH),  National  Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM),  etc.  for  increasing  agricultural production and productivity through appropriate interventions. Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing scheme 'Operation Greens' for integrated development of Tomato, Onion and Potato  (TOP)  value  chain  which,  inter  alia,  has  the  objective  of  price  stabilization  for  producers  and consumers through production planning in the TOP clusters and introduction of dual use varieties .

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