Let them make millions.

"India is expected to ban mills from exporting sugar in the next season beginning October, halting shipments for the first time in seven years, as a lack of rain has cut cane yields, three government sources said. India's absence from the world market would be likely to increase benchmark prices in New York and London that are already trading at multi-year highs, triggering further inflation on global food markets." Reuters. A few days back, "India will impose with immediate effect a 40% export duty on onions up to Dec 31 in an attempt to improve domestic availability of the vegetable, the ministry of finance said." Reuters. "India's onion exports in the first half of 2023 jumped 63% from a year ago to 1.46 million metric tons." "The onion-potato section of the wholesale market at APMC Vashi will observe a one-day strike on Thursday, August 24, demanding that the Central government repeal the new 40 percent duty imposed on onion exports." TOI. "Trading in onions has come to an indefinite halt in Nashik APMC." It must be especially infuriating for onion farmers as they have heard about tomato farmers earning tens of millions of rupees when prices of tomatoes skyrocketed. In July, "Retail prices of tomatoes have reached a record of Rs 200 per kg in Mumbai over the weekend." ET. As a result "a farmer from Maharashtra's Pune district has made headlines. The reason? He is claiming to have earned more than Rs 2.8 crore (Rs 28 million) through tomato sales, which makes him a crorepati." India Times. Tomato farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are celebrating as, "The otherwise Rs 300 per box (each contains about 20 to 21 kg of tomatoes) was selling at anywhere between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000. It even touched Rs 4,000 on some days." TOI. "Not only are tomato farmers paying back their long-standing debts, but they are also seeing their social status rise." That is how markets should operate. But rising food prices is a negative for winning elections. So, "India has imported unspecified quantities of tomatoes from Nepal to boost supplies of the vegetable, an official has said, amid a decline in prices." HT. On the other hand there is a 40% duty on import of wheat since 2019. On 27 April 2019, "India has raised import duty on wheat to 40 percent from 30 percent," "The step comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party looks to contain rural discontent due to lower crop prices amid voting in a general election that began on April 11."BT. "India, the world's largest rice exporter, banned the exports of non-basmati white rice on Jul. 20," "and millions are expected to be impacted, with Asian and African consumers set to bear the biggest brunt." CNBC. "Low food inflation has traditionally been a crucial determinant of election success in India," but banning rice exports "dramatically undermines Indian leaders' recent claims that this country is the natural and responsible leader of the developing world," wrote Mihir Sharma. Care about winning elections or care about human hunger. Can't do both. Election wins.