Mumbai, Sep 14 (IANS): Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday hailed the Centre’s decision to lift export curbs on onions and Basmati rice and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of all onion farmers of Maharashtra.

Similarly, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar welcomed the Centre’s decision to remove $500 per metric tonnes Minimum Export Price (MEP) for onions with immediate effect and to relax the condition of $950 per tonne MEP for issuing registration-cum-allocation certificate for Basmati rice.

Ajit Pawar has also hailed the Centre’s decision to increase import duty on edible oil and its move to bring soybean at the MSP rates.

“On behalf of all the onion farmers of Maharashtra, I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the decision to remove the MEP on onion exports. Although the export ban on onions had been lifted, the MEP was imposed. Due to this, the farmers had to face difficulties. I had also requested the Centre to remove the MEP. The decision to remove the MEP of $550 per tonne has come as a relief to thousands of onion growers in Maharashtra and will significantly increase onion exports and increase farmers' income,” said the Chief Minister in his post on X.

On the other hand, Ajit Pawar said that the Centre’s move has given a big relief to onion, Basmati rice and soybean farmers in the country.

“I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah for these decisions taken by the Union Government. I had consistently requested the Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan to cancel the MEP on Basmati rice along with onion and increase the import duty on edible oil. These demands have been met,” he said.

Ajit Pawar has also welcomed the Centre’s decision to increase the import duty on edible oil. He further stated the import duty hike on soybean oil would give a big relief to soybean farmers in the state and across India.

Farmers will get good prices following the rise in soybean prices.

Ajit Pawar on September 11 at his meeting with farmers’ leaders had said that the state and the Centre were sympathetic towards a range of issues faced by them.

He had assured to take a state delegation to meet the Union Cooperation Minister and Union Agriculture Minister for the resolution of their issues.

Both CM Shinde and Dy CM Pawar had said that the Centre’s decision to impose ban and MEP on onions had hit the Mahayuti’s prospects in the Lok Sabha elections.

In the run up to the Assembly election, the duo had made a strong case for lifting of the ban and removal of MEP.

Meanwhile, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule also welcomed the Centre’s decision to remove MEP on onions and Basmati rice.

“Onion is produced on a large scale in Marathwada and North Maharashtra while Basmati rice and other varieties of rice are grown in Konkan region and East Vidarbha. The farmers’ interests have been safeguarded with the Centre’s move,” he noted.