Over 50 trucks laden with prized onions cultivated across the border in Pakistan drove across the Attari-Wagah border over Monday and Tuesday as part of a private initiative by Amritsar-based traders, which is expected to ease the skyrocketing onion prices across north Indian states.
Already adding up to more than 500 tonnes over just two days, the Pakistani produce which is being imported to India for the first time ever, costs traders only about `20 per kilo (inclusive of transport and customs duties) compared to the ceiling-high `80 to `90 rate of homegrown Maharashtrian onions.
In fact, following Union food minister Sharad Pawar’s recent statement on opening onion imports from Pakistan alongside a ban on export of essential food supplies, the land custom authorities at Attari-Wagah have made special arrangements to rapidly process the growing onion arrivals in addition to the usual trade inventory of raisins and other dry fruits.
Land customs deputy commissioner at the border post, Mr R.K. Duggal said starting with the 14 trucks that rolled in on Monday, another 38 trucks arrived on Tuesday.
He said the imports were expected to grow substantially over the coming weeks or at least until government agencies are able to bring down onion prices.
The official confirmed that this is the first time in the history of Indo-Pak trade relations that Pakistan has allowed export of perishable via the land route in view of the obvious price advantage in the case of onions.
But while onion arrivals from Pakistan should be good news for consumers in North India, analysts pointed out that traders were unlikely to pass on the price advantage to retail buyers until the government deploys workable mechanisms to control prices.