Anisul Islam Noor :The price of onion and green chilli has increased by Tk 20 and Tk 40 per kg over the last couple of days. The curry items are being sold at Tk80 to 90 and at Tk180 to 200 respectively in the city markets on Monday.Though the stock and supply of onion is enough in the country, a group of traders have raised its price in the wholesale markets showing cause of export rate raised by the Indian government, said a trader at Moulvibazar wholesale market.It is alleged that a syndicate being sheltered by the ruling party supporter businessmen are active in illegal stock of onion for making more profit before Eid-ul-Azha, most consume period of the kitchen item.Different intelligent wings have been monitoring onion price but they could not take any step as the ruling party people are the mastermind behind the syndicate and price hike, it is further alleged.The onion and green chilli were selling at Tk 80 to 90 per kg and at Tk180 to 200 respectively at Mirpur, Muhammadpur, Hatirpool and Fakirarpool kitchen markets on Monday. Two days ago onion was sold at Tk 60 to 65 in those markets, consumers said.According to Ministry of Commerce, the country’s annual onion consumption demand is around 24 lakh tonnes while about 19 lakh tonnes of onion are cultivated locally and the rest is met through imports, mostly from India.The Indian government increased onion export price on July from $250 to $425 per tonne due to substantial damage to the onion production in the Rabi season which may impact the domestic market of Bangladesh. India is the main supplier of the key kitchen item, said Rabiul Islam, an importer of Moulvibazar on Monday.Tuhin Saha, Mangager of Ahmed Enterprise in Jessore told this reporter that Indian traders used to export 100 to 150 trucks of onion per day last month, but, they reduced it to 60 to 70 trucks creating adverse impact on the price of the commodity in local market. Prices of vegetables have also shot up in the market due to impact of the current flood in the country’s northern and southern regions.
