Opposition leaders in Maharashtra's Nagpur staged a protest on the third day of the assembly winter session against the Centre's decision to ban onion exports. The protest took place on the steps of Vidhan Bhavan, Nagpur, on Monday. The opposition also demanded an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of onions and financial aid to farmers affected by seasonal rain. Slogans were raised against the government during the protest.
India has prohibited the export of onions until March 2024, as per an official notification issued last week. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notification stated that onion exports would be allowed based on permission granted by the central government to other countries upon their requests.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, addressing the onion issue and opposition protests, stated, "We have given Rs 10,000 crore-12,000 crore in the past 1.5 years to farmers for losses due to unseasonal rainfall. We have also provided relief beyond the NDRF norms." Regarding the Centre's decision to ban onion exports, Shinde mentioned ongoing talks with the central government, ensuring support for farmers, and considering consumers' benefits.
Earlier, the Government of India imposed a minimum export price of USD 800/ton on onions from October 29, 2023, to December 31, 2023, to discourage exports and maintain domestic market availability. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution noted a decline of 5% to 9% in onion prices in Maharashtra markets after the implementation. The Department of Consumer Affairs is actively monitoring onion exports and prices daily to ensure stability in domestic prices and availability for consumers.