In order to augment supplies of onions during lean period in the country, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) under Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperation has floated a tender for import of about 50,000 metric ton (MT) of onions. The actual quantity to be imported by NAFED will depend upon the requirement of onions received from various State and Union Territory Governments and their concurrence to the rates received in the tender invited by NAFED.
The import of onions for the last three years i.e. for 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 stood at 12.8 MT, 450.00 MT and 17,846.88 MT respectively. The Government reviews the situation of availability of agricultural products in the country from time to time and takes a decision in view of the different factors.
The export/import policy on agricultural products is dynamic in nature and it depends on various factors, including availability of surplus over and above the requirement of buffer stock including strategic reserve, concerns of food security, diplomatic / humanitarian considerations, international demand and supply situation, quality standards in the importing countries, varieties traded and price competitiveness, need to balance between remunerative prices to the growers and availability of agricultural products to common man at affordable prices.