Onion export from the country has declined by 3% in the first seven months (April-October) of the 2014-15 financial year as against the corresponding period last fiscal following scarcity of good or export quality onions, hike in the Minimum Export Price (MEP), its inclusion in the essential commodity act and delayed kharif season.
The country exported 765,000 tonnes of onion in the first seven months by October 31 in the current financial year as against 787,000 tonnes during the same period in 2013-14, sources in National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) said.
The district contributes 80% of the country's total onion export. Unseasonal rain and hailstorms had damaged the crop last summer, affecting its quality to a great extent. The summer crop, harvested in March and April with a shelf life of six to seven months, continued to reach the market until arrival of the fresh kharif crop, which generally begins from mid-September. Moreover, the kharif season was delayed by two months due to delayed monsoon. The lack of export-quality summer crop, delay in the arrival of kharif crop and hike in MEP of onions altogether led to the decline in export in the first seven months.
National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India director Nanasaheb Patil, "The policy the central government adopted in first three four months of the current financial year to stabilize onion prices in domestic market led to decline in onion export of the country. The higher MEP of onions, scarcity of good quality summer crop, inclusion of onions in essential commodity act and delayed kharif season overall led to decline in onion export from the country."
On March 3, the central government had removed the MEP of onions due to a rise in late kharif production. On June 17 last year, the Centre introduced the MEP of $ 300 a tonne and again hiked MEP to $500 a tonne on July 2, 2014 to bring under control the rising onion prices. After pressure from farmers, the Union government reduced MEP to $300.
Source:freshplaza.com
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