The Centre on Monday decided to prohibit the export of onions with immediate effect. "The export of all varieties of onions... is prohibited, with immediate effect," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification in this regard.

"The provisions under 'Transitional Arrangement' shall not be applicable under this notification." In the revised policy, export of all varieties including 'Bangalore Rose' onions and 'Krishnapuram' onions excluding cut, sliced or broken in powder form, have been prohibited.

The government had last banned exports in September last year, after a bad crop crumpled output. In December last year, prices went up to Rs 80 per kg in Delhi. The government had lifted the ban in March this year.

This year, India exported fresh onions worth $328 million and dried onions worth $112.3 million. Exports of onions shot up 158 per cent to Bangladesh in the April-July period. The ban comes at a time when the wholesale and retail price of onion in August fell 35 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively. In Delhi, the retail price of onion remained at Rs 40 per kg.

(With inputs from IANS)