India's onion exports during the first eight months of the current financial year have increased by 18% to 1.35 million tons, earning foreign currency worth Rs 20.23 billion (€251 mln). Maharashtra, a major onion exporting state, has recorded a marginal rise of 1% at 782,000 tons, earning foreign currency worth Rs 12.14 billion (€151 mln).
Sources in the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which functions under the Union ministry of commerce and industry, said the bumper onion production and incentives for exports have led to the rise.
"Factors like change in port for shipment from Mumbai to Gujarat and Chennai, coupled with reduction in dependency on Maharashtra's onions by other onion growing states are some of the reasons behind the marginal rise in exports from Maharashtra," sources said. Also, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have contributed significantly to the rise in onion exports.
"Export of onions from the storage began from June and continued till August end of the current financial year, while the export of fresh onions, particularly from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, began in the first week of September," an onion trader from Lasalgaon.
