PFVA seeks permission for exporting onion

Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) has sought federal and Sindh government's permission to export onion with immediate effect to protect the growers' interest. Waheed Ahmed, Chairman Research and Development PFVA, in a letter to government of Sindh has said that with bumper crop in Sindh prices of onion throughout Pakistan have come down drastically and presently onion's wholesale price is fluctuating between Rs 26 to Rs 30 per kilogram in domestic market.
"As we have surplus onion due to the bumper crop, it is the right time to take a decision on exporting onion as India has already fixed a minimum export price to discourage the export of onion," he said. "If government allowed to export onion, not only growers will get reasonable price of their crops but the timely export decision will fetch valuable foreign exchange for the country in this crucial time when the foreign exchange reserves are dwindling," he said.
Waheed said that Baluchistan's crop is also arriving next month after which the situation will further deteriorate and surplus quantity of onion will be available in the domestic market. The huge supply would result in lower price and growers of Sindh would be unable to get good price of their crop leading to financial losses thus diverting their focus toward other crops instead of onion, he added.
"Keeping in view the interest of growers as well as the country, it's imperative to immediately allow export of onion," he demanded. He informed that presently Fruit and Vegetable exporters are receiving a number of queries from foreign buyers and some 20 million dollar orders have already been booked for export of onion.
He said that federal government is already considering lifting the ban on export of onion and federal government has asked Sindh government for actual estimates of the crop to reach a decision. Waheed said that Pakistani onion can get a price of US$500 a ton in the international market whereas India has fixed a minimum price of US$800 per ton.