Onion exports ban in India: Farmers say the new notification is a political gimmick, and past decisions were recirculated during polls

A recent decision by the Centre over allowing onion imports has further angered onion farmers in Nashik and neighbouring onion-growing regions, who have labelled the move a political gimmick during the Lok Sabha elections. The extension of the allium’s export ban in March had upset farmers in the region earlier, with tensions extending to the political arena. The unrest further deepened after the central government approved the export of 2,000 tonnes of white onions from Gujarat on April 25, 2024. Maharashtra’s onion farming community felt unfairly excluded, as the onion belt primarily grows red onions. Earlier this month, the entry of candidates campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls was barred in a part of Maharashtra’s famed onion belt — Deola taluka in Nashik — over the ban on onion exports. Read more: Export bans, restrictions: How government is trying to keep food prices in check ahead of elections On April 27, 2024, a Press Information Bureau notification stated the ...