Indian onion farmers have intensified calls for immediate government support after the ongoing Middle East war abruptly halted exports of the key agricultural commodity, leaving thousands of tonnes of produce stranded at ports and containers.
The conflict involving Israel, Iran and the United States has disrupted regular shipping routes and led to the suspension of cargo movements to Gulf destinations — traditionally the largest buyers of Indian onions — forcing exporters to halt operations. Nearly 150 containers holding about 4,500 tonnes of onions from regions including Nashik in Maharashtra are currently stuck at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, officials said.
With markets in the Gulf closed and the Ramadan season — a peak demand period — underway, farmers fear a sharp slump in prices at home just when they could have realized better returns. Bharat Dighole, president of a leading onion producers’ organisation in Maharashtra, demanded an immediate subsidy of ₹1,500 per quintal, along with a waiver of port charges and a temporary procurement scheme until exports resume.
The export freeze is not limited to onions. Other perishable commodities such as sugar, grapes and mangoes have also seen their shipments halted as shipping lines suspend services to the Middle East, compounding concerns among farmers and exporters.
Industry representatives have warned that if the disruption continues, falling onion prices in domestic markets could further squeeze growers’ incomes, reinforcing calls for fiscal relief and market intervention from New Delhi.
