The Centre today lifted the ban on exports of onions after the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Food led by the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee recommended the step.
Union Minister for Science and Technology Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh told journalists after the EGoM meeting that the ban has been lifted with immediate effect. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K.V. Thomas also attended the meting.
The government imposed the ban on onion exports on September 9 to curb the upward trend of onion prices in the domestic market which reached a peak of Rs. 25 a kg. The minimum export price (MEP) has been fixed at US 475 $ per tonne which prevailed when the ban on exports was imposed.
The minister said the exports and the price situation will be monitored after two weeks.”An appropriate decision will be taken after the review,” he said.
