India's ban on the export of onions has driven up prices of the vegetable for Asian buyers. All parties involved are looking for cheaper alternatives, particularly as New Delhi is unlikely to lift the curbs before next year’s general elections. India, the world's biggest exporter of onions, banned shipments on December 8 as domestic prices more than doubled in three months following a drop in production.
Since traditional Asian buyers, such as Bangladesh, Malaysia and Nepal and even the United Arab Emirates, rely on imports from India to bridge domestic gaps, customers all over Asia are struggling with the high prices.
Source: reuters.com