Indian government would lift the ban on onion exports on March 15, said its commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal in a tweet on Monday.
The decision to allow onion exports, which was banned since September last year, was taken at a meeting of the Group of Ministers constituted under the chairmanship of home minister Amit Shah, The Hindu Business Line reported.
The lifting of export ban will help farmers get better prices for their rabi onions, which are expected to arrive in the market in huge quantities this month.
According to news reports, the expected quantum of onions in March and April is 4.1 million tonnes and 8.6 million tonnes, respectively, as against 2.8 million tonnes and 6.1 million tonnes in same months last year.
Indian government resorted to the ban last year as the retail prices spiked due to the poor kharif crop on account of heavy rains and floods in onion-growing areas.
