``Keeping in view the farmers' distress in Maharashtra following a sharp decline in onion prices, the Government has permitted export of a limited quantity of 25,000 tonnes per month for a period of three months,'' an official spokesperson pointed out.

But, she added, the price behaviour of this vegetable will be kept under constant review to ensure that the interests of both the farmers and the consumers are protected.

The production of onions this year is likely to touch a record high of 47.2 lakh tonnes, the highest in recent times.

Export of onions had been banned by the Government in August last following an acute shortage in the country, which had triggered an unprecedented increase in the vegetable's price across the country.