Pakistan bans export of banana, onion

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has imposed a ban on the export of onions and bananas till April 15 in efforts to curtail prices in the domestic market, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

In a bid to ensure the availability of onions and bananas at reasonable prices during Ramadan, the Ministry of Commerce notified the ban following approval of the newly formed federal cabinet.

Effective immediately and continuing until the conclusion of Ramadan (April 15), exports of bananas to Iran and onion to Afghanistan will be suspended or restricted. Meanwhile, amendments were introduced in the Export Policy Order 2022.

Read More: Pakistan’s weekly inflation hits 30.68pc

The upward trend became apparent when the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released the weekly inflation figures for the week ending February 29, 2024, which showed a 5.25% increase in the price of bananas and a 2.87% rise in the price of onions.

The onion was being sold at Rs280-300 per kg while fruit vendors demanded Rs150 for small-sized bananas and Rs250-300 per dozen for large sized.