In a bid to reduce its reliance on imported red onions, Malaysia has developed three new varieties named MARDI red onions BAW-1, BAW-2 and BAW-3. The research was conducted by the Malaysian Agricultural Development and Research Institute (MARDI) under the directive of the Ministry of Agriculture. The aim is to cut down shallot imports by 30%, with the BAW-1 variety already being planted. This initiative was prompted by a 30% price hike in the Malaysian market due to an onion supply crisis caused by floods in India in 2020.