Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 22: The Maharashtra government has welcomed the Centre’s decision to fully withdraw the 20 per cent export duty on onions, effective April 1. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah for the move, calling it a major relief for onion farmers, especially in Lasalgaon and Pimpalgaon.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also lauded the decision, emphasizing that it would benefit lakhs of farmers in the state by ensuring fair prices for their produce. He revealed that he had personally urged Amit Shah to consider the concerns of Maharashtra’s farmers, leading to the timely resolution of the issue under the guidance of the Prime Minister. Pawar extended his thanks to the Union leadership, including Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, while reaffirming the state’s commitment to farmer welfare.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Chhagan Bhujbal, representing the onion-rich Yeola constituency, also praised the move. He had earlier demanded in the state Assembly that the duty be lifted immediately to prevent further financial distress for farmers struggling with rising production costs and low selling prices. Bhujbal had urged the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to appeal to the Centre for prompt action.

The Central government had initially imposed export restrictions, including a duty, a minimum export price (MEP), and a temporary ban from December 8, 2023, to May 3, 2024, to ensure domestic availability. The 20 per cent duty, which had been in place since September 13, 2024, has now been removed. Despite these restrictions, India exported 17.17 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of onions in FY 2023-24 and 11.65 LMT in FY 2024-25 (until March 18). Monthly exports had risen from 0.72 LMT in September 2024 to 1.85 LMT by January 2025.