Sindh seeks govt help to resume onion exports

KARACHI: Sindh on Friday asked the federal government to make exporters resume onion exports and instead stop its imports to give price benefits to farmers.

Provincial Minister for Agriculture Ismail Rahu said onion prices have come down drastically and growers are suffering in the province, the biggest onion producer in the country. The province produces more than the cumulative production by other provinces.

Prices have come down to Rs1,900 per 40-kg from Rs2,800 around 15 days back since exports were halted.

The fruits and vegetable exporters announced self-imposed ban on export of onion to control the rising prices in the local market. However, it has affected growers in Sindh.

Rahu said onions were cultivated over 56,000 hectares in the province.

The provincial minister said bumper crop is expected in Sindh this year with production of more than 747,000 tons. The consumption of the province is 563,000 tons. Sindh will have a surplus of more than 184,000 tons.

Rahu said the federation allowed import of onions from Iran and Afghanistan. “Due to the import of onions, the domestic farmers are suffering huge losses.”

The fruit and vegetable exporters stopped export of onion from 3rd November for 15 days. They have yet to resume the exports.

Trader Waheed Ahmed told The News there is no ban on export by the government.

“It was self-imposed ban by the exporters to control the rising prices in the local market,” said Ahmed who is patron-in-chief of All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association.

Ahmed said farmers were harvesting raw or non-mature onion to get the profits due to higher prices.

“If there was no ban, the prices would have reached Rs3,500 per 40-kg,” he said.

The association said the ban on export is in line with the struggle of the government to effectively control price hike.

Sindh growers said such a ban on export would be harmful. It will further put them in difficult position, they said.

Mehmood Nawaz Shah, senior vice president of Sindh Abadgar Board said onion prices are lowest in the region.

The crop of Mirpurkhas was damaged in rain 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,” said Shah. “Onion cannot be sold at eight year old prices.

Growers of onion are already suffering in the province, as import of onion continues from Iran. If you continue import and ban export, it will not help farmers.”