Massive onion import cleared, exports banned

The export ban would be in force till the arrival of the new onion crop, he added.

The government also decided to waive customs duty on the imported onions to ensure onions were available at reasonable prices. This decision was taken at a high level meeting convened at the behest of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and chaired by Cabinet Secretary Prabhat Kumar.

Among those who were present at the meeting were secretary in the Prime Minister’s office NK Singh, Commerce Secretary PP Prabhu, agricultural secretary Kamal Pandey, Civil Supplies Secretary N N Mukherjee and Chief Secretary (Delhi) OmeshSaigal.