Satish Aditya
Raxaul ( Bihar) : With the Government imposing ban on export of Onion on September 14, 2020, the prices of Onion has shot up in Nepal upsetting the consumers. The Nepal bound trucks laden with onions are being returned from Indian Customs Check-post officials at Raxaul in East Champaran District in North Bihar on Indo-Nepal border. Ashutosh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Customs Check-post, said the entry of onion into Nepal has been banned as per government orders.
In Nepal, the price of Onion has shot up from Rs 30 per kg to Rs 50 per kg in Kathmandu and other cities. The smuggling of Indian onion into Nepal through porous border has increased. As a result, Onion is only available in black market in Nepal. Nepal has remained heavily dependent on India for Onion supply as limited local production does not meet the demand of domestic market. Suman Dahal, Director General, Nepal Customs, said that India has once again banned export of Onion to Nepal.
In September , 2019, too, India had banned export of Onion and that time the Nepali traders had imported Chilly and dry Onion from China which was cheaper than that available in Indian market but not tasty like the Indian Onion.
According to a report, the Government of India has banned export of Onion due to high demands for Onions from Nepal, Bangaldesh, Gulf countries, and Sri Lanka. The prices of Onion in Indian markets was Rs 15 per kg in March, 2000, but it increased Rs 35 per kg in August, 2000.