<p>Mumbai: Hundreds of onion farmers blocked the Mumbai Agra Highway at three places in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Friday after the Centre announced a ban on the export of the kitchen staple, police said.</p><p>The Centre has banned onion exports till March 31, 2024, to increase domestic availability and to keep prices in check.</p><p>Protests have been held at onion markets of Lasalgaon, Nandgaon, Pimpalgaon and Umarane in Nashik district for the last four to five days, an official said.</p><p>Operations were shut at these markets on Friday as a part of the protest, he added.</p><p>Hundreds of onion cultivators gathered on the Mumbai-Agra Highway and blocked the road using tractors at three places for some time, the official said.</p>.Centre imposes minimum export price of $800 per tonne on onion till Dec 31.<p>Farmers also staged 'rasta rokos' at Jaikheda, Chandwad, Umarane, Nandgaon and Mungse in Malegaon, he said.</p><p>Protestors dispersed peacefully after appeals by the Nashik police, and no force was used on the farmers, the official said.</p><p>Earlier in October, the Centre had decided to step up the sale of buffer onion stock at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg in retail markets to provide relief to consumers.</p><p>To control prices, the government imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $800 per tonne on onion exports from October 28 to December 31 this year.</p><p>In August, India had imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onions up to December 31.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Hundreds of onion farmers blocked the Mumbai Agra Highway at three places in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Friday after the Centre announced a ban on the export of the kitchen staple, police said.</p><p>The Centre has banned onion exports till March 31, 2024, to increase domestic availability and to keep prices in check.</p><p>Protests have been held at onion markets of Lasalgaon, Nandgaon, Pimpalgaon and Umarane in Nashik district for the last four to five days, an official said.</p><p>Operations were shut at these markets on Friday as a part of the protest, he added.</p><p>Hundreds of onion cultivators gathered on the Mumbai-Agra Highway and blocked the road using tractors at three places for some time, the official said.</p>.Centre imposes minimum export price of $800 per tonne on onion till Dec 31.<p>Farmers also staged 'rasta rokos' at Jaikheda, Chandwad, Umarane, Nandgaon and Mungse in Malegaon, he said.</p><p>Protestors dispersed peacefully after appeals by the Nashik police, and no force was used on the farmers, the official said.</p><p>Earlier in October, the Centre had decided to step up the sale of buffer onion stock at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg in retail markets to provide relief to consumers.</p><p>To control prices, the government imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $800 per tonne on onion exports from October 28 to December 31 this year.</p><p>In August, India had imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onions up to December 31.</p>