Sindh growers perturbed over ban on onions export

KARACHI: Sindh growers are perturbed over voluntarily ban on onions export by the fruit and vegetable exporters, and said such a ban would not be beneficial for them, instead it will further put them in difficult position.

Mehmood Nawaz Shah, senior vice president of Sindh Abadgar Board, told The News that harvesting of Sindh crop had already started. “Ban on export will reduce the prices in market and there will be loss to the growers,” he said.

Shah said Pakistani onion was still available at lowest prices in the region. In India onion price was Indian Rs100/kg.

The crop of Mirpurkhas was fully damaged in rains, while it was partially damaged in other parts of the province.

“If growers don’t get proper prices, it would be difficult for their survival,” he said, adding: “Onions cannot be sold at eight-year old prices. There is around 10 percent input inflation every year.”

The onion growers were already suffering in the province, as its import continued from Iran.

“If you continue import and ban exports, it will not help the farmers,” he said.

Earlier, the fruit and vegetable exporters have voluntarily imposed “self-ban” on the export of onions effective from November 3, 2020 for a period of 15 days, a statement said on Wednesday.

All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) Patron-in-chief Waheed Ahmed had said that the objective of this initiative is to ensure stability in price on local level, besides getting good price of onions for growers of the Sindh province for the forthcoming crop.

Prior to this “self-imposed ban” on the export of onions, there was a tendency to stock onions, leading to an increase of Rs800 in price within a week, bringing to a level of Rs2,800/maund.

This effort by PFVA is in line with the struggle of the government to effectively control price hike. The food commissioner of Pakistan has also been informed about this decision.

The PFVA would review its decision of “self-imposed ban” after 15 days, he said.

The onions export would remain suspended for 15 days and by the middle of November, the local crop of onion would be available in the market, which would further assist in getting the price lowered and achieve further stability in the local market.

It is an irony that to export onions, the raw onion of the forthcoming crop was being harvested. However, with a temporary ban on the export, harvesting raw onions would also stop, he added.