Nashik: Maharashtra's onion exports more than doubled to 10.59 lakh tonnes in the financial year 2025-26 from nearly 5 lakh tonnes in FY 2024-25, according to data from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Exporters attributed the rebound to the easing of export restrictions imposed by the central government.
Export Curbs and Their Impact
In FY 2024-25, the central government imposed several restrictions on onion exports, including a minimum export price (MEP) of $550 per tonne and a steep export duty of 40%. Although the government later eased these measures, removing the MEP and reducing the export duty to 20% on September 13, 2024, the duty remained in place until March 31, 2025, affecting export volumes for most of that financial year.
Revenue Growth
Data from APEDA showed that Maharashtra earned Rs 2,406 crore in foreign exchange from onion exports in FY 2025-26, up from Rs 1,742 crore in the previous fiscal. “With easing of export restrictions in FY 2025-26, onion shipments picked up significantly, reaching 15.47 lakh tonnes by March,” said Vikas Singh, vice-president of the Horticulture Produce Exporters Association of India (HPEA). “The removal of curbs helped boost both export volumes and earnings, particularly for Maharashtra,” he added.
National Export Performance
At the national level, India exported 15.47 lakh tonnes of onions in FY 2025-26, generating Rs 3,515 crore in revenue. This marks an increase in volume from 11.47 lakh tonnes in FY 2024-25. However, despite higher export volume, overall earnings were higher in the previous fiscal at Rs 3,832 crore, reflecting the impact of pricing and policy changes. Maharashtra continued to dominate India’s onion export landscape, accounting for nearly 68% of the country’s total exports during FY 2025-26. Within the state, Nashik district remained the key hub, contributing an estimated 80-90% of Maharashtra’s total onion exports.
Market Diversification
Another notable trend during the year was the diversification of export markets. Traditionally, Bangladesh has been a major importer of Indian onions. However, its share in India’s onion exports declined sharply — from 42% in FY 2024-25 to just 6% in FY 2025-26. Exporters instead expanded their presence in alternative markets, including Sri Lanka, the UAE (Dubai), Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and several Gulf countries, leading to a more balanced export portfolio.
Outlook for FY 2026-27
Looking ahead, exporters remain optimistic about further growth in the current financial year 2026-27. They said if the central government maintains a stable export policy without imposing restrictions, India could match or even exceed the export performance of FY 2022-23, when onion shipments reached 25 lakh tonnes. “We have the potential to not only achieve but surpass the 25 lakh tonnes-mark this year, provided there are no policy disruptions. If global demand remains strong and exports continue smoothly, India could also strengthen its position against major competitors like China and Holland in the global onion market,” Singh added.
