Lok Sabha Question No. 2505 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-09
Subject: Export of Onion
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: T. R. Paarivendhar, A. Ganeshamurthi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2505

TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH  MARCH, 2021

## EXPORT OF ONION

2505. DR. T.R. PAARIVENDHAR SHRI A. GANESHAMURTHI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a)      whether the Government has allowed the export of onion from the country and consequently the volume of export of onion has also increased in the recent past which has resulted in an increase in onion prices in the market; if so, the current details of the agricultural products;
- (b)      if so, the details thereof;
- (c)      the total volume of onion exported to other countries during the last one year, country-wise along with the income generated therefrom; and
- (d)      the steps being taken or proposed to be taken to reduce the price of onion, so as to make it affordable for the poor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a)  &(b):      The  export  of  Onion  was  free  which  was  prohibited  vide  DGFT Notification  No.  31/2015-20  dated  14.09.2020  to  deal  with  shortage  in  supply and increased domestic prices. The prohibition was liftedw.e.f   01.01.2021 vide DGFT Notification no 50/2015-21 dated 28.12.2020 in view of good prospects of

Kharif  and  late  Kharif  production  estimates.  After  recent  lifting  of  the  ban,  the export of onion in the months of January & February, 2021 has been 0.56 LMT and 0.31 LMT respectively, as against monthly average export of 2.18 LMT prior to imposition of ban in September, 2020. The All India average retail prices of onion in December, 2020 was Rs. 44.33/kg whereas during January 2021 and February  2021 the prices have been Rs. 38.59/kg and Rs 44.08 /kg, respectively.

(c):      Country-wise  details  of  the  export  of  onion  during  the  year  2019-20  in terms of volume and value are annexed at Annexure.

(d):    Government released onion from the buffer stock of 1 LMT created from Rabi-2020  onion  in  a  calibrated  manner  to  moderate  prices  of  onion  since September,  2020.  Government  imposed  ban  on  onion  export  w.e.f.  14 th September, 2020. The government also invoked the EC Act and imposed stock limit  of  25  MT for  wholesaler and 2 MT for retailer w.e.f. 23.10.2020. With the arrival of Kharif onion, the Government conveyed approval for procurement of 1 LMT onion Kharif 2020 to recoup the buffer for further retail intervention.

To  augment  domestic  availability  of  onion  through  import,  government eased  the  fumigation  and  quarantine  norms  and  also  accorded  approval  for procuring  and  disposal  of  imported  onion  by  National  Agricultural  Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) at pre-decided ceiling price through issue of tenders at regular intervals. As a result of these measures, onion import came in significant quantities from October onward, and by the end of December, 2020 a total of over 65,546 MT was imported.

The price of onion has been on declining trend from November, 2020 and by December, 2020 prices in the mandis were reported to be significantly low. Retail  price  had  also  declined  substantially.  Accordingly,  ban  on  onion  export was lifted w.e.f 01.01.21 and stock limit was also allowed to lapse w.e.f 01.01.21.

For 2021-22, the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) for onion buffer target of 2 LMT has been approved. The buffer would be built by procuring Rabi-2021 for onion arriving from March, 2021.

## Annexure I

| Export of onion(both fresh and chilled, HS Code 07031010) during 2019-20   | Export of onion(both fresh and chilled, HS Code 07031010) during 2019-20   | Export of onion(both fresh and chilled, HS Code 07031010) during 2019-20   | Export of onion(both fresh and chilled, HS Code 07031010) during 2019-20   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                                      | COUNTRY                                                                    | 2019-20 Qty                                                                | 2019-20 Value                                                              |
| 1                                                                          | BANGLADESH PR                                                              | 2.59                                                                       | 550.14                                                                     |
| 2                                                                          | MALAYSIA                                                                   | 1.91                                                                       | 434.29                                                                     |
| 3                                                                          | U ARAB EMTS                                                                | 1.53                                                                       | 296.99                                                                     |
| 4                                                                          | SRI LANKA DSR                                                              | 1.26                                                                       | 293.24                                                                     |
| 5                                                                          | NEPAL                                                                      | 0.75                                                                       | 94.41                                                                      |
| 6                                                                          | SAUDI ARAB                                                                 | 0.55                                                                       | 92.3                                                                       |
| 7                                                                          | QATAR                                                                      | 0.42                                                                       | 81.03                                                                      |
| 8                                                                          | OMAN                                                                       | 0.4                                                                        | 68.35                                                                      |
| 9                                                                          | KUWAIT                                                                     | 0.39                                                                       | 70.5                                                                       |
| 10                                                                         | INDONESIA                                                                  | 0.36                                                                       | 49.71                                                                      |
| 11                                                                         | VIETNAM SOC REP                                                            | 0.32                                                                       | 63.53                                                                      |
| 12                                                                         | SINGAPORE                                                                  | 0.21                                                                       | 48.04                                                                      |
| 13                                                                         | BAHARAIN IS                                                                | 0.16                                                                       | 28.98                                                                      |
| 14                                                                         | IRAQ                                                                       | 0.13                                                                       | 20.91                                                                      |
| 15                                                                         | THAILAND                                                                   | 0.11                                                                       | 20.15                                                                      |
| 16                                                                         | MALDIVES                                                                   | 0.09                                                                       | 28.64                                                                      |
| 17                                                                         | MAURITIUS                                                                  | 0.08                                                                       | 18.54                                                                      |
| 18                                                                         | U K                                                                        | 0.04                                                                       | 9.83                                                                       |
| 19                                                                         | REUNION                                                                    | 0.03                                                                       | 6.34                                                                       |
| 20                                                                         | ITALY                                                                      | 0.03                                                                       | 7.41                                                                       |
| 21                                                                         | GREECE                                                                     | 0.03                                                                       | 4.86                                                                       |
| 22                                                                         | BRUNEI                                                                     | 0.03                                                                       | 8.75                                                                       |
| 23                                                                         | RUSSIA                                                                     | 0.02                                                                       | 5.62                                                                       |
| 24                                                                         | NETHERLAND                                                                 | 0.01                                                                       | 2.17                                                                       |
| 25                                                                         | SEYCHELLES                                                                 | 0.01                                                                       | 1.83                                                                       |
| 26                                                                         | MAYOTTE                                                                    | 0.01                                                                       | 1.70                                                                       |
| 27                                                                         | SPAIN                                                                      | 0.01                                                                       | 1.64                                                                       |
| 28                                                                         | COMOROS                                                                    | 0.01                                                                       | 1.26                                                                       |
| 29                                                                         | SOMALIA                                                                    | 0                                                                          | 0.71                                                                       |
| 30                                                                         | SLOVENIA                                                                   | 0                                                                          | 1.16                                                                       |
| 31                                                                         | ROMANIA                                                                    | 0                                                                          | 0.62                                                                       |
| 32                                                                         | CHINA P RP                                                                 | 0                                                                          | 0.51                                                                       |
| 33                                                                         | U S A                                                                      | 0                                                                          | 0.89                                                                       |
| 34                                                                         | TIMOR-LESTE                                                                | 0                                                                          | 0.40                                                                       |
| 35                                                                         | FRANCE                                                                     | 0                                                                          | 0.57                                                                       |
| 36                                                                         | GABON                                                                      | 0                                                                          | 0.73                                                                       |
| 37                                                                         | KENYA                                                                      | 0                                                                          | 0.35                                                                       |

| 38   | TURKEY       |    0 |    0.31 |
|------|--------------|------|---------|
| 39   | CANADA       |  0   |    0.78 |
| 40   | HONG KONG    |  0   |    0.4  |
| 41   | LIBERIA      |  0   |    0.22 |
| 42   | IRAN         |  0   |    0.05 |
| 43   | SIERRA LEONE |  0   |    0.16 |
| 44   | TAIWAN       |  0   |    0.29 |
| 45   | POLAND       |  0   |    0.12 |
| 46   | TANZANIA REP |  0   |    0.12 |
| 47   | MALTA        |  0   |    0.09 |
| 48   | MONTENEGRO   |  0   |    0.09 |
| 49   | GERMANY      |  0   |    0.19 |
| 50   | GUINEA       |  0   |    0.05 |
| 51   | LIBYA        |  0   |    0.05 |
| 52   | SENEGAL      |  0   |    0.05 |
| 53   | SWEDEN       |  0   |    0.05 |
| 54   | BELARUS      |  0   |    0.07 |
| 55   | LEBANON      |  0   |    0.07 |
| 56   | SOUTH SUDAN  |  0   |    0.06 |
| 57   | AUSTRALIA    |  0   |    0.1  |
| 58   | GHANA        |  0   |    0.02 |
| 59   | MALAWI       |  0   |    0.06 |
| 60   | SWITZERLAND  |  0   |    0.08 |
| 61   | NORWAY       |  0   |    0.04 |
| 62   | NEW ZEALAND  |  0   |    0.02 |
| 63   | IRELAND      |  0   |    0.03 |
| 64   | JAPAN        |  0   |    0.03 |
|      | Total        | 11.5 | 2320.7  |

Source: DGCIS

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