Staff Reporter :
Prices of onion declined by Tk 10 to Tk 20 per kg after trucks with the commodity crossed the border from neighbouring India after five days.
Besides, the consumers also turned their faces from wild buying of onion as its price was hiked by both wholesalers and retailers to make quick money.
In wholesale markets in the capitals Shambazar and Karwanbazar, the grade one indigenous variety of onion was sold at Tk 72 per kg which was sold at Tk 78 to 85 in last four days an impact of Indian suspension on export of the ingredients.
Besides, Indian varieties were selling at Tk 50 to 55 per kg as per the quality on Saturday which was sold at Tk 60 to 65 for last four days. As such, the prices of the cooking item declined in retail markets by Tk 10 to 20 per kg.
In the capital, grade one indigenous onion was selling at Tk 80 to 90 per kg compared with Tk 100 to 110 after India’s export ban on Monday.
Moreover, the Indian variety and lower graded items of the commodity were selling at Tk 60 to Tk 70 per kg compared with Tk 70 to 80 in last four days.
Before Tuesday, better quality of indigenous onion was selling at Tk 50 to Tk 60 and Indian variety and lower grade ones were selling at Tk 40 to 45 per kg.
Sources said, India on Saturday allowed several hundred onion laden trucks to cross the border after five days of the ban.
According to Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the ban will not be applicable for those previously-contracted exports and necessary directives have been given to allow such eligible consignments.
But there will be no more new contract henceforth until the notification is reviewed.
On Saturday, about seven onion laden trucks entered through Sona Masjid land ports till noon with 199 tones of the cooking item.
Besides, more than 11 onion laden trucks also have been crossed the Hili land ports.
Abdur Rahman Liton, General Secretary of Bangla-Hili land ports C&F Agent Associations said, “In response to the Bangladesh government’s request, the Indian government permitted their customs to release those onion laden trucks which was ready to cross the border before five days.
Abdur Rahman Liton said, “We are communicating with Indian officials and traders repeatedly to release all consignments contracted before last Monday.”
The importers expressed their worriness about waste of onions as the trucks fully loaded with the item were stuck in ports for the last five days in severe hot weather.
“Several hundred onion laden trucks were stuck in Indian side of land ports for the last five days in hot summer weather. As a result quality of onion has been downgraded. A good portion has been rotten and dirty juice were pouring from the trucks which means rotten. As a result we, the importers are facing loss. But how much have been rotten we cannot say just now,” Harun-ur-Rashid, General Secretary of importers and exporters Associations of Hili land port, said.
Earlier, Bangladesh shared its deep concern with Indian exporter the sudden ban on onion exports saying it ‘undermines’ the discussions that took place in October last year and January this year.
