Shawdesh desk:

The prices of local varieties of onion reached between Tk 110 and Tk 120 per kg in the kitchen markets of Dhaka on Saturday from Tk 90 to Tk 97 per kg a week ago, augmenting consumers’ woes.

The traders have increased the onion prices claiming a short supply in the wholesale market from Faridpur and Pabna, the main production hub of the local varieties of onion.

They said the drop in supply is responsible for the price hike.

The local variety of onion is selling between Tk 110 and Tk 120 per kg, while the imported onion is being sold between Tk 97 and Tk 104 per kg on Saturday.

General secretary of Shyambazar Onion Traders’ Association Mohammad Majed said that the prices of all varieties of local onions increased in the last week due to the supply crunch.

‘We are currently importing onions from India where the prices are high,’ he said.

The cost of imported onions stands between Tk 90 and Tk 95 per kg after calculating import taxes, transportation and other costs. As a result, the cost of imported onion is also high now, he said.

Majed said the price of the local variety of onion is higher by Tk 15 to Tk 20 per kg compared to the imported one.

Talking to the correspondent some consumers at Malibagh kitchen market, Karwar bazar and Hatirpool kitchen market expressed their anger and disappointment over the abnormal hike in the prices of essentials in the kitchen markets.

Mahmuda Alam, a resident of the Malibagh area, said, ‘Spike in the prices of onion overnight baffled us. What the middle and low-income group people will do if prices of meat, vegetables and all other items keep rising this way.’

Johura Begum, who works as a domestic help in Rajarbagh area said,’ Prices of everything in kitchen markets are high. Now we don’t consider onion as an essential item and try to cook without it most of the time.’

Onion imports from India resumed after a nearly six-month hiatus on May 14, 2024 after the Indian government lifted its ban on onion exports on May 4.

On December 7 last year, India imposed a ban on onion exports until March 31. On March 23, the ban deadline was extended, declaring an indefinite halt to onion exports.

Bangladesh was among six countries that received an exemption from the ban.