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The $300 a tonne floor price fixed by the Centre for onion exports is helping Pakistan capture some of India’s market share abroad.
“Pakistan is not only gaining in terms of market but also in price,” said Madan Prakash, Director of Chennai-based Rajathi Group of companies that exports agricultural produce.
“Pakistan is certainly gaining market share since its onion is priced $50-60 a tonne lower than India,” said CB Holkar, member of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation.
“Some Pakistan exporters are quoting just $10 lower than our offers,” said Prakash.
With domestic prices rising to their highest since the first week of December, offers for exports are being made above $400 a tonne.
“We are currently quoting above $400 and there are some buyers for Indian onion,” said Holkar.
Some buyers abroad, especially in Malaysia and West Asia, prefer Indian onions for their pungency. Even Pakistan is not able to match it, according to Holkar.
During 2013-14 fiscal, onion exports totalled 13.58 lakh tonnes valued at ₹2,877 crore. Besides Malaysia and Gulf, Indian onions find their way to Singapore, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.
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