Shallot farmers in Tamil Nadu have appealed to the federal government to exempt their produce from the export restrictions. Shallots are being cultivated extensively in Perambalur, Ariyalur, Trichy, Dindigul, Namakkal, Erode, Tenkasi, Coimbatore and Tirupur by small and medium farmers. It is also cultivated in some areas in other rainfed districts.
P.S. Masilamani, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, which is affiliated to CPI, stated: "Considering the volume of production in India, the Union government has banned the export of onion varieties till March 2024. The export ban is not restricted to bellary alone but also for shallots. Tamils in abroad prefer only shallots. So, the Union government should relax ban on shallots.”
Despite the ever-increasing cost of production, farmers continue to cultivate the crop despite lower yield than the bellary variety. When compared to other crops, shallot farmers are not getting required assistance like loan, subsidy from the government, Masilamani added.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com