To import onions from India, buyers typically specify a variety (most commonly red onions), a size band such as 40-55 mm or 55-70 mm, mesh-bag packing between 5 kg and 25 kg, and a shipment window matched to the Indian harvest calendar. The rabi crop, arriving approximately March to May, cures and stores best and supplies most long-haul shipments, while the kharif crop from around October onwards suits shorter routes. Because India's onion export policy can change with domestic prices, always confirm the current policy status before fixing a contract.
Why buyers source onions from India
India is one of the world's largest onion producers and a major exporter, with multiple harvests spread across the year and a deep base of growers, traders and pack-houses. For importers, this scale translates into three practical advantages:
- Availability across much of the year: staggered kharif, late kharif and rabi crops, plus stored rabi onions, keep supply flowing in most months.
- The pungent red onion profile: Indian red onions are known for strong flavour and firm texture, which many Gulf, South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines specifically demand.
- Established export logistics: onions move routinely from Indian ports to the Gulf, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and beyond, so packing standards, documentation and freight lanes are well worn.
Timing still matters: quality, size distribution and price all move with the harvest cycle, which is why seasoned importers plan orders around the calendar covered in our onion and rice harvest calendar.
Which onion types and sizes are exported?
The bulk of Indian onion exports are red onions, prized for pungency and colour. White onions are shipped in smaller volumes, often for processing and for markets that prefer a milder flavour. Within each type, exporters grade bulbs into size bands, commonly expressed in millimetres of bulb diameter:
- 25-40 mm (small): small bulbs used whole in curries and sambals; strong demand in parts of South and Southeast Asia.
- 40-55 mm (medium): the general-purpose retail size in many destination markets.
- 55-70 mm (large): favoured by food service, catering and some retail chains.
- 70 mm and above (extra large): a niche band for specific processing and food-service uses.
Preferences vary by market and even by buyer within a market, so treat the pattern below as a starting point rather than a rule.
| Size band | Common label | Typical destination-market preference |
|---|---|---|
| 25-40 mm | Small | Commonly sought in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and other South and Southeast Asian markets for whole-onion cooking |
| 40-55 mm | Medium | A frequent choice for Gulf retail and general wholesale buyers across many markets |
| 55-70 mm | Large | Often preferred by food service, catering and supermarkets in the Gulf and Far East |
| 70+ mm | Extra large | Typically a smaller, specification-driven segment for processors and large-format food service |
Alongside size, contracts usually specify tolerance for off-size bulbs, limits on sprouted, rotten or double bulbs, and skin condition (well-cured, dry outer skins).
How are export onions packed?
Onions are living produce that respire and release moisture, so export packing is built around airflow:
- Mesh bags: the standard export pack is an open-weave mesh (leno) bag, commonly in 5 kg, 10 kg, 18 kg, 20 kg or 25 kg sizes depending on the destination market's handling practice. Smaller 5-10 kg bags suit retail distribution; 18-25 kg bags are the wholesale workhorse.
- Ventilation first: mesh allows air to move through the stow. Sound export practice avoids anything that traps moisture against the bulbs, since trapped humidity accelerates rot and sprouting.
- Container stuffing: bags are stuffed either loose in a ventilated pattern with channels for airflow, or palletised where the buyer requires it. Short voyages commonly use ventilated dry containers; longer routes often use reefer containers run in ventilation mode to hold a steady, cool airflow.
- Marking: bags carry the variety, size band, net weight, origin and any buyer branding agreed in the contract.
Whichever configuration is chosen, the goal is the same: deliver firm, dry, well-cured bulbs with intact skins at destination.
When is the best time to buy?
India harvests onions in overlapping windows, and each behaves differently in trade:
- Kharif crop (approximately October to December): fresh onions with higher moisture; good for nearby markets and quick turnaround, but they do not store long.
- Late kharif (approximately January to March): bridges the gap between the two main crops.
- Rabi crop (approximately March to May): the largest harvest and the best keeper. Well-cured rabi onions go into storage and supply exports for several months afterwards, typically carrying shipments through the monsoon and into the lean season.
For importers, the practical takeaways are: fresh-harvest months usually bring the widest selection and competitive offers; storage-season months rely on rabi stock, where supplier skill in curing and storage makes a visible difference to arrival quality. Exact months shift with the monsoon and vary by growing region, so confirm current crop status with your supplier when booking.
What should importers check before ordering?
- Export policy status: India has at times imposed duties, minimum export prices or temporary bans on onions when domestic prices spike. These measures change at short notice, so verify the policy in force before signing and consider a contract clause addressing policy changes.
- Quality clauses: specify size band with tolerance, maximum percentages for sprouted, rotten and skinless bulbs, and the inspection basis (loading-port inspection, photos at stuffing, or third-party agencies).
- Shelf life and routing: match the crop to the voyage. For transit beyond a couple of weeks, well-cured rabi storage onions and ventilated or reefer stowage are the usual combination.
- Documentation: onion shipments need a phytosanitary certificate and the standard export document set; see our phytosanitary certificate guide and the full export documentation checklist.
- Commercial terms: agree the Incoterm and payment method early. Our guides to Incoterms for agro exports and payment terms in international trade walk through the common choices.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shelf life of Indian onions in transit?
Well-cured storage onions, typically from the rabi crop, commonly hold quality for several weeks in a properly ventilated container, which covers most sea routes to the Gulf, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean region. Fresh kharif onions have a shorter window, so buyers on longer routes usually specify well-cured rabi stock and tighter quality clauses.
Are onions shipped in reefer or dry containers?
Both are used. Short voyages commonly move in ventilated dry containers, while longer routes and quality-sensitive buyers often prefer reefer containers run in ventilation mode with controlled airflow. The right choice depends on transit time, destination climate and the price point of the order.
What size onion is best for food service?
Food-service and catering buyers typically prefer medium to large bulbs, commonly in the 55-70 mm band, because larger onions peel and slice faster per kilogram. Retail markets often prefer the 40-55 mm band, while some South and Southeast Asian cuisines specifically demand small onions under 40 mm.
Does India restrict onion exports?
India has at times applied export duties, minimum export prices or temporary bans on onions when domestic prices rise, and has withdrawn them when supply recovers. Because the policy can change at short notice, importers should always confirm the current export policy status with their supplier before fixing a contract.
Arcas Impex is an agro export house based in Belagavi, Karnataka, India, exporting rice, cashews, onions, green chillis and coffee to buyers worldwide. Explore our onion export range covering red and white onions across the major size bands.
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