India to continue onion export to Maldives amid shortage

Although India is in the midst of yet another onion crisis, the government has informed the Maldives that it would continue to export onions to the island nation at the same quantity as before. Maldives is wholly dependent on India for all its essential commodities, reports Times of India. 

The Indian mission in Male tweeted on Sunday, “This is to confirm to our Maldivian friends that India will continue exporting onions to Maldives in spite of importing 100,000 tons to meet severe onion shortages in India and spiralling prices.” India is importing onions from Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, and Egypt. Sources here said India would continue to export all necessary items including onions to Maldives.

Ram Vilas Paswan, the food minister on Saturday said India would be importing 1,00,000 tons of onions to make up the shortfall. The rise in onion prices have seen the inflation figures rising sharply. Onion prices have been a bellwether number for political popularity, including actually contributing to bringing down a government.

In October, visiting Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina had publicly chided prime minister Narendra modi for stopping onion exports. Bangladesh has also had to import onions to make up the Indian shortfall. In fact, Hasina told TOI only half in jest, “There is a problem… you are not sending onions, so I am eating [food] without onions.”