300 Pak trucks carrying onion turn back from Indian border

With Pakistan showing no signs of lifting ban on onion exports,around 300 trucks bound for India have turned back from the border and are likely to offload the produce in retail markets of their own country,traders said Tuesday.

Pakistan-based vegetable exporters will sell onions,which were contracted before the ban was imposed,in the local market as it (onions) is a perishable commodity and they (traders) cannot hold it for long, Amritsar-based vegetable trader Anil Mehra said.

The contracted orders for the supply of onions (from Pakistan) are now cancelled as there is little hope that Pakistan will lift the ban on onion exports via land route, said vegetable importer Mukesh Sindhwani,whose order for 150 tonnes of onions could not be met due to the ban.

However,around 100 trucks carrying vegetables grown in India crossed into Pakistan while seven trucks carrying dry fruit entered India on Tuesday,a Customs official said.