September 22, 2020: According to the information provided by Chittagong Plant Quarantine Station (Sea Port), more than 200 import permits (IPs) were issued for 88,045 tons of onion from September 3-17
Importers are now waiting for onion consignments to get cleared from Chittagong port, a day after the Indian government allowed pre-contracted onions to enter the markets.
According to the information provided by Chittagong Plant Quarantine Station (Sea Port), more than 200 import permits (IPs) were issued for 88,045 tons of onion from September 3-17.
Of them, 16,205 metric tons are from China, 18,749 metric tons from Pakistan, 18,831 metric tons from Myanmar, 22,069 metric tons from Egypt, 6451 metric tons from Turkey, 3320 metric tons from Netherlands and 2420 metric tons from New Zealand.
Dr Md Ashaduzzaman Bulbul, deputy director of Chittagong Plant Quarantine Station (Sea Port), told Dhaka Tribune that they were avoiding delays in issuing IPs to release the imported onions as quickly as possible.
The Indian government on September 14 banned exports of all types of onions to Bangladesh, citing a shortage in supply in India itself due to heavy rainfall and floods.
According to Khatunganj market wholesalers, Indian onions sold at Tk55 to Tk60 per kg on Sunday.
Visiting various kitchen markets of the port city, it was found that onions imported from India retailed at Tk65-Tk70 per kg on Sunday.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, General Secretary of Khatunganj Hamid Ullah Market Traders’ Welfare Association, Mohammad Idris, said that the overheated onion market would cool down with the arrival of big consignments.
On September 29 last year, India imposed a ban on the export of onion to Bangladesh due to a price hike of the item in its domestic market.
The restriction fuelled up onion prices in Bangladesh almost overnight, skyrocketing to Tk250 per kilogram.
India later lifted the prohibition on March 15 this year.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
