India to lift 20pc onion export duty from April 1

India says it will remove a 20% duty on onion exports starting April 1 to safeguard farmers’ interests. It follows nearly five months of export restrictions, including minimum export prices and outright bans, imposed to ensure domestic availability.

The 20% export duty had been in effect since September 13 last year.

New Delhi said the decision reflected the government’s commitment to ensuring fair prices for farmers while maintaining affordability for consumers, reports Reuters.

The announcement comes as the expected arrival of the rabi crop has pushed down onion prices.

But despite the excess duty, onion exports totalled 11.65 lakh tonnes as of March 18 for the current fiscal year, according to The Economic Times.

The quantity exported monthly saw an increase, rising from 0.72 lakh tonnes in September 2024 to 1.85 lakh tonnes in January of the current year.