India has imposed a ban on exports of onions until March 31, 2024, as a measure to curb inflation ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.
According to a government order issued late on Thursday, the ban was imposed by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
India is the biggest exporter of onions to Maldives.
“Further, consignments of onions will be allowed to be exported on fulfillment of any one of the following three conditions: i. where loading of onions on the ship has commenced before this Notification; ii. where the shipping bill is filed and vessels have already berthed or arrived and anchored in Indian ports for loading of onion and their rotation number has been allocated before this Notification; The approval of loading in such vessels will be issued only after confirmation by the concerned Port Authorities regarding anchoring/berthing of the ship for loading of onions prior to the Notification; and iii. where consignments of onions have been handed over to the Customs before this Notification and are registered in their system / where consignments of onions have entered the Customs Station for exportation before this Notification and are registered in the electronic systems of the concerned Custodian of the Customs Station with verifiable evidence of date and time stamping of these commodities having entered the Customs Station prior to issuance of this Notification. The period of export shall be up to 5th January 2024,” reads the order.
It further says, “Export of onions will also be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Government of India to other countries based on the request of their Government.”
