National Cooperative Export Limited (NCEL), the export agency of the central government of India, is buying 1,650 tons of onion from the country’s farmers to send to Bangladesh. This onion will be sent to Bangladesh at the rate of 29 rupees (38 taka 40 paisa in Bangladeshi taka) per kg.
The central government of India imposed a three-and-a-half-month ban on onion exports last December to stabilize its domestic market. At the beginning of December, a notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce informed that the onion export of the country will be stopped from December 8 to March 31, 2023.

However, after the government of several countries including Bangladesh requested several times to send onions at the diplomatic level, the central government of India has decided to export a total of 64 thousand 400 tons of onions to the countries dependent on Indian onions under ‘special consideration’. Out of these 64 thousand 400 tons of onion, 1 thousand 650 tons fell to Bangladesh.
Indian government officials said the decision was taken at the ministry level last week. The government has already started buying onions from local farmers. These onions will be sent to Bangladesh and other countries soon.

Officials said that these onions are being sent under government initiative as the ban on export is still in force.