Publisher's Synopsis
INTRODUCTION
Onions (Allium cepa L.) are botanically included in the Liliaceae family and after
tomatoes, they are the second most horticultural vegetable with a worldwide production of
about 64.5 million tons. The onion crop holds a unique position in the economic growth of India
as it is the second largest onion-producing country in the world next only to China,
accounting for 16 percent of the world area and 10 percent of production. Indian onions are well
known for their pungency and serve as the highest foreign exchange earner among fruits and
vegetables. There is a huge demand for Indian onions in daily cuisine across the world and the
country has exported 12,01,245.29 MT of fresh onion to the world for the worth of Rs.
2,747.41 crores during the year 2015-16 (APEDA, 2017).
