New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) The government's decision to withdraw 20 per cent customs duty on onion exports effective April 1 will boost farmers' income, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.

"There will be no duty on onion export so that onion grown by our farmers with hard work reaches the global markets, and they can get better price and remunerative price," Chouhan said in a video statement.

The minister said the export duty was earlier fixed at 40 per cent, but was reduced to 20 per cent when onion prices started falling and farmers began getting lower returns.

"Now, the government has decided that 20 per cent export duty should also be removed completely," he added.

According to a notification issued last week by the Finance Ministry, the export duty withdrawal will come into effect from April 1.

Chouhan said the Narendra Modi government is "farmer-friendly" and ensuring remunerative prices for farmers is its "priority and commitment".

The export duty removal aims to protect domestic farmers from steep fall in onion prices. PTI LUX LUX SHW

Export duty withdrawal on onion to boost farmers' income and facilitate greater access to global markets. The government announced via a Finance Ministry notification the withdrawal of the export duty on onion effective April 1, removing the previously imposed customs charge and restoring duty-free access for onion exports. The measure is presented as a trade-policy adjustment to protect farmers from domestic price declines and to ensure remunerative prices by facilitating access to international markets.