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Govt extends onion import permission

Staff Correspondent
29 Mar 2022 00:00:00 | Update: 29 Mar 2022 01:26:18
Govt extends onion import permission

The Ministry of Commerce has extended the import permission (IP) for onions till the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, to ensure steady supply of the kitchen essential and keep the market stabilised during Ramadan.

The ministry on Sunday issued a letter in this regard to the Ministry of Agriculture. The IP facility for onions – issued by the quarantine department under the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) – was scheduled to expire on March 29.

“The country’s demand for onions is partially dependent on imports and this is an essential perishable commodity. At present, there is a demand for about 25 lakh tonnes of onion. During Ramadan, the demand for onion is about 4 to 4.5 lakh tonnes,” he letter mentioned.

“The onion market has been volatile on various occasions in the recent past. Now, owing to the onion IP issue, the supply and price of onion are steady,” it stated.

“But, there is a risk of unexpected upheaval in the onion market if the IP issue is not extended till Eid-ul-Fitr,” the letter added.

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