Rates of onions have increased in different parts of the country. To keep the rates under control and to increase the availability, last week the Central Government gave permission for onion import from Egypt and China through the Government agency, MMTC. Rise in export due to removal of MEP: As per information received from DGCIS, the onion export during April-July was done at the rate of Rs.11, 737 per ton. Due to the onion export price, the rates were lower and the export decreased. But in December 2015, the MEP on onion was removed. After that, Consumer Affairs Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan demanded to apply MEP on the onions. But MEP was not applied. Reference - Agrowon 13th November 2017