Nashik: Around 500 trucks laden with 12,500 tonnes of onions worth around Rs 41 crore have returned from the India-Bangladesh border to Nashik following the ban on its export by the Centre.
“Of the 650 trucks that had left for Bangladesh, only 150 vehicles carrying 3,750 tonnes of onions were allowed. The remaining 500 trucks, all from Nashik, had to return,” Danish Shah, the vice-president of Horticulture Produce Exporters Association (HPEA), said on Wednesday.
The central government imposed a ban on onion export on September 14 as the prices started shooting up.
Initially, the government had allowed trucks which had reached the border and had obtained a ‘Let export order’ (LeO). The government, however, did not allow trucks carrying onions that were on the way to Bangladesh and reached later.
According to the HPEA, only 208 containers with around 6,000 tonnes were allowed at the JNPT in Mumbai while 100 containers with around 3,000 tonnes of are still stranded at the Mumbai port.
Manoj Jain, an onion trader and exporter from Nashik, said, “It is unfortunate that exporters have to bring back their trucks carrying onions meant for export. Actually, the government should have given permission to all the trucks and containers that were in transition for export.”
Sources from the Union ministry of agriculture said they are in touch with the ministry of commerce and owners of onion containers that are stranded at the border and ports to be allowed to export.
“Presently, it is being verified how many containers of onions meant for export are stranded at the borders as well as port,” said the sources.
Source:-timesofindia.indiatimes.com