Patron-in-Chief All Pakistan Fruits & Vegetables Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA), Waheed Ahmad while expressing concern over escalating prices of onion in local markets has laid stress on carrying out research and development (R&D) for developing better varieties of onion with protracted shelf life. While sharing his views on social media, PFVA chief said through the introduction of protracted shelf line varieties, we can effectively control the prices of different products.
He said in our neighbouring countries, onion can be stored for a longer period of three to four months while we can hardly do so for a month. Referring to a prevailing spike in prices of onion in markets, Waheed Ahmad believed that it is because of the export ban on the product by India ensuing in the concentration of international buyers towards Pakistan’s markets.
To control the price, he continued, PFVA had a meeting with the Ministry of Commerce and proposed an upward revision of export price to USD 750 per metric tonne with 100 percent advance payment to contain export. However, when the price sharply increased, we again revised the export price upwards to US Dollar 1200 per Metric tonne so as to control high price and it would be implemented from Friday (January 12), he continued.
He said, we have to bring a balance in trade of onion by allowing its export in controlled limits. If we impose a ban on the export of onion, it would reduce its price to a level that will affect growers who are already suffering due to floods and other impacts of climate change. “Our growers do not sustain losses otherwise they would not grow onion crops next year leading to a further shortage of onion and consequently the price will shoot up,” Waheed commented. “We have to see the interest of our growers, exporters and local market and thus keep a close eye on the price of onion,” he said.
He also expressed lament over the fact that market committees of different cities are not controlling the price of onion and why the price-controlling department appears to be helpless in exercising its duty of price stabilisation. He said that market committees and district administration have to play a role in preventing traders from making excessive profit by bringing abnormal increases in the price of the commodity.
