India, one of the
biggest exporters of onions, banned shipments of the bulb vegetable on December
8, after domestic prices more than doubled in three months following a drop in
production.
In the last few days, the price has dropped around 20%
to Rs 1,500 per quintal from Rs 1,870 as arrivals increased. Since the ban was
imposed on exports, the price has dropped 60% in the main wholesale market of
Lasalgaon in Maharashtra, said traders in the area. The arrival of fresh kharif
onions has increased to 15,000 quintals a day.
The kharif produce has a shorter shelf life than the
rabi crop. “We don’t want the prices to
drop too much either,†the official said.
India also wants to keep up its global market position
in the world and honour the trade deals that have already been signed, the
official said.