Agriculture Minister Floyd Green is dismissing claims that the rising price of onions in the local market is due to the move by India’s government to slap a hefty 40-percent export duty on the popular vegetable.
India is the world’s largest exporter of onions and accounts for more than 12 per cent of the global trade.
The bulk of the onions imported by Jamaica comes from the Netherlands, with India also a key source market.
At places like Coronation Market in downtown Kingston, the average price for a pound of onions is $300.
Amid complaints from consumers about the steady climb in prices over the past several weeks, Minister Green says the situation is not related to the export controls implemented by the Indian government.
Floyd Green Agriculture Minister.
