Indian onions imported through Hili land port after long pause

After a gap of five and a half months, Indian onions are being imported into Bangladesh through the Hili land port in Dinajpur. Local importers informed that the onions entered the country via Hili by Sunday afternoon.

The Plant Quarantine Center at Hili land port said the Ministry of Agriculture has allowed seven importing companies to bring in a total of 230 metric tonnes of onions from India between Thursday evening and 2 PM today. The companies are M/s Satata Banijyalay, M/s Nashat Traders, MS Al Makka Empress, M/s Jagdish Chandra Roy, Crown Trading International, Anas Group Private Limited, and Radhe-Shyam and Sons. Radhe-Shyam and Sons received permission to import 50 metric tonnes, while the others were allowed 30 metric tonnes each.

Anwar Hossain, Deputy Director of the Plant Quarantine Center, confirmed the information and said any new import permissions would be announced later.

On March 2, 29 metric tonnes of onions were last imported from India through Hili. Since then, falling prices of local onions and low demand for Indian onions caused importers to stop bringing them in. However, recent price hikes have prompted importers to apply again to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Bablur Rahman, owner of M/s Satata Banijyalay, informed that, “I have permission to import 30 metric tonnes of onions from India. A truck carrying the onions arrived this afternoon. Wholesale prices will be fixed after customs clearance.”

Estamul Haque, a vegetable trader from Katlabazar in Birampur, said, “Onions are selling at 70 taka per kg today. Once Indian onions arrive, retail prices will fall, which may lead to losses on previously bought stock.”