India added onions to the nation’s increasing checklist of meals staples slapped with sweeping export restrictions, as the federal government seeks to comprise home costs forward of a nationwide election subsequent yr.

Overseas shipments of onions will likely be banned till March 31, though cargoes of greens that began loading previous to the notification can nonetheless be exported, the federal government stated Friday. The ban follows authorities measures in August to launch stockpiles of the staple to shield consumers from rising prices.