Sri Lanka to buy Pakistani onions

Sri Lankan government takes measures to import onions from Pakistan.

COLOMBO: The price of red onions has crossed Rs340 per kilogramme in retail markets of Sri Lanka and the government has taken measures to import onions from Pakistan.

Price escalation continues as India banned export of onions due to a decline in its production. Reports from Kalpitiya, a major onion cultivation area, said acreage under the crop declined severely. Sinhala radio Neth FM said about 1,800 hectares were under cultivation in previous seasons and this season only 25 hectares have been sown.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2011.