Ajit Pawar Urges Centre to Remove Onion Export Duty

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has called for the removal of a 20% levy on onion exports in a letter to Union Minister Piyush Goyal. Highlighting the plight of Nashik's onion farmers, he stressed the adverse effects on their income due to low domestic prices and urged government intervention.

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, has made an urgent appeal to the central government to eliminate the 20% export duty on onions, aiming to provide much-needed relief to the state's farmers. In a letter addressed to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar outlined the difficulties faced by onion farmers in the Nashik district, a major production area.

The exhaustion of the summer yield and the arrival of fresh crops have resulted in an oversupply, forcing farmers to sell onions below the minimum support price. This situation is exacerbated by unseasonal rains and climate changes, which have further decreased farmers' earnings, Pawar noted.

Maharashtra produces more onions than any other state in India, with Nashik's Lasalgaon hosting Asia's largest onion market. However, as the centre imposes a 20% levy on onion exports, the state's farmers lose international market competitiveness. The removal of this duty is necessary for their economic recovery, Pawar emphasized.

(With inputs from agencies.)