India harvests onions in three overlapping windows - kharif around October to December, late kharif around January to March, and the big rabi crop around March to May - with well-cured rabi onions stored to supply the rest of the year. Rice follows one dominant cycle: the kharif harvest arrives around October to December, after which new-crop milled rice and fresh basmati flow into export channels, while stock from mills keeps rice available year-round. Buyers who time orders to these windows generally see the widest selection and the most competitive offers.
Why harvest timing matters for buyers
Agro commodities are not factory goods: supply arrives in pulses tied to the crop cycle, and everything an importer cares about moves with those pulses.
- Price: offers are typically most competitive when fresh arrivals peak and sellers compete to move volume; they commonly firm up in the lean months when trade runs on stored stock.
- Quality and selection: at harvest, buyers can pick from the full range of sizes and grades. Late in the storage season, the remaining stock narrows and keeping quality becomes the differentiator.
- Shelf life: for onions especially, the crop a shipment comes from determines how well it travels - a point we expand on in our guide to importing onions from India.
- Booking lead time: popular shipment windows fill up; buyers who book ahead of the harvest peak get first pick of the new crop.
The Indian onion calendar
India's onion supply comes from three crops, and the months below are approximate - the monsoon and regional sowing patterns shift them from year to year:
- Kharif crop (approximately October to December): the first fresh onions after the monsoon. Higher moisture, shorter shelf life; best suited to nearby markets and quick consumption.
- Late kharif (approximately January to March): a bridging crop that keeps fresh supply moving between the two main harvests.
- Rabi crop (approximately March to May): the largest harvest of the year and the best keeper. Well-cured rabi onions go into ventilated storage and typically supply exports through the monsoon months and into the next kharif arrivals.
Growing regions differ too: major producing belts in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh each have their own local timing, which is partly why national supply rarely stops entirely.
The Indian rice calendar
Rice runs on a simpler rhythm. The kharif harvest, arriving approximately October to December, is the main crop and accounts for the bulk of India's production. A smaller rabi/summer crop is harvested in some regions around March to May, but the kharif crop sets the tone for the export year.
- Basmati: harvested once a year with the kharif cycle; new-season paddy arrives around October to December and milled new-crop basmati peaks in the following weeks. Many premium buyers deliberately specify aged basmati, which comes from stock held one or two seasons - see our comparison of basmati and non-basmati rice.
- Non-basmati: parboiled and raw white rice are milled from paddy held by mills and agencies, so export availability is effectively year-round, with the freshest offers following the kharif arrivals.
Because milled rice stores well, rice buyers are less constrained by the calendar than onion buyers - but new-crop pricing and the character of fresh-season rice still reward well-timed orders. The mechanics of getting a consignment shipped are covered in our rice export procedure guide.
How this maps to buying strategy
- Buy fresh-harvest for price and selection: enquiries placed just before or during the arrival peaks (roughly October to December for both commodities, and March to May for rabi onions) typically catch the widest choice and the keenest offers.
- Buy storage-season for proven keepers: in the lean months, quality depends on how well stock was cured and stored. Supplier selection matters more than price-shopping here.
- Book ahead of the peak: committing volumes before the harvest lands can secure capacity and first pick, though it carries some crop risk; many buyers split orders between pre-booked and spot purchases.
- Watch policy, not just crops: for onions in particular, export duties or restrictions can appear when domestic prices spike, so confirm the policy status alongside the crop position.
The same seasonal thinking applies across our other products. Raw cashew nuts in India are harvested roughly February to May (with kernels processed and shipped year-round), green chillis are grown more or less year-round with winter peaks in the southern belts, and Indian coffee is picked roughly November to February, with new-crop lots graded and shipped in the months that follow - see our guide to Indian coffee grades for importers.
A combined month-by-month view
The table below is an indicative planning aid, not a promise - regional variation and weather shift these windows every year.
| Month | Onion availability (indicative) | Rice availability (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
| January | Late kharif arrivals building; fresh supply improving | New-crop milled rice flowing; fresh basmati widely offered |
| February | Late kharif in full swing | Strong availability from new-crop stock |
| March | Late kharif tapering; early rabi arrivals begin | Milled rice from stock; rabi paddy harvest starts in some regions |
| April | Rabi harvest peaking; widest selection of the year | Steady supply from mill stock |
| May | Rabi arrivals continue; best storage-grade onions bought now | Steady supply from mill stock |
| June | Fresh arrivals slow; trade shifts to stored rabi onions | Supply from stored paddy and milled stock |
| July | Storage onions; monsoon months, quality depends on curing | Supply from stored paddy and milled stock |
| August | Storage onions; stocks gradually drawing down | Supply from stock; aged basmati commonly offered |
| September | Lean period; stored stock only, selection narrowing | Supply from stock ahead of the new harvest |
| October | Early kharif arrivals begin in some belts | Kharif harvest begins; new-crop paddy arriving |
| November | Kharif arrivals building; fresh onions for quick turnaround | Harvest in full swing; new-crop basmati paddy peaking |
| December | Kharif supply strong | New-crop milled rice entering export channels |
Frequently asked questions
When are Indian onion prices usually lowest?
Prices are typically softest when fresh arrivals peak, most often during the rabi harvest around March to May, when the largest crop of the year reaches the markets. Kharif arrivals around October to December can also ease prices. Actual price behaviour varies year to year with the monsoon, crop size and any export policy measures.
Is basmati rice available year-round?
Yes, in practice. Basmati is harvested once a year, with new-crop arrivals typically from around October to December, but millers hold paddy and milled stock so that export shipments continue year-round. Aged basmati, which many buyers prefer for its cooking qualities, is by definition supplied from stored stock.
When is new-crop rice shipped?
The main kharif rice harvest reaches markets from around October to December, and new-crop milled rice commonly starts shipping in the weeks that follow, typically from late in the calendar year into the first quarter. Exact timing varies by variety, region and how quickly paddy moves through milling.
Do harvest seasons shift?
Yes. All the windows in this calendar are approximate. The timing and strength of the monsoon, regional sowing decisions and weather events can move harvests by several weeks and change crop sizes, so importers should always confirm the current crop position with their supplier before fixing shipment dates.
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 and the rest of our seasonal product portfolio.
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