India to allow exports of onions to Bangladesh on limited scale

The Indian government has decided to allow exports of onions to Bangladesh and five other countries on a limited scale, The Economic Times has reported.

A person from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs familiar with the matter said a limited quantity of onion exports has been allowed for bilateral purposes, though no decision has been taken on lifting a complete ban on onion exports, according to the Indian daily.

Details of the exporting agency could not be ascertained, it said.

The five other countries to which the Indian government has permitted exports of onions are Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Bahrain, Bhutan, and Nepal.

India, the world's second-largest onion exporter, had banned shipments of the kitchen staple in December 2023 till March 2024 due to rising domestic prices and potential shortages, the daily said.

This led to a surge in onion prices in neighbouring countries, it added.