Price of the local variety of onion has increased by Tk 10 a kilogram at Hili in Dinajpur district within two days after the fall in import compared to the demand.
Wholesalers and retailers say that the prices of onion have increased at the wholesale market. Traders have to incur losses if the prices of onion fluctuate at the wholesale market.
However, they have predicted that the local variety of onion will go down further once the import of onion from India begins.
Visiting the Hili Bazar on Sunday (April 28) afternoon, this correspondent found that the ‘King’ variety of local onion which was sold at Tk 45-50 per kg just two days ago, is now being sold at Tk 55-60 per kg rising by Tk 10.
Moksed Ali who came to Hili Bazar to buy onion, said, “I bought onion at Tk 45 a kg two days ago. Today, I have bought that variety of onion at Tk 55 a kg. Somewhat good quality of onion is being sold at Tk 60 per kg. I couldn’t do any work over the last couple of days due to intense heatwave. We’re poor, so it’s not our concern which variety is good or which variety is bad. We usually tend to buy onion which is available at low prices.”
Rubel Hossain, a retail onion trader at Hili Bazar, said the wholesalers have hiked the prices of onion just after two days showing the lame excuse of fall in import from India. “We have to buy onion at high prices at the wholesale level. Then we need to add transportation cost to it.”
Price of local variety of onion increases by Tk 10 a kg in Hili
Wholesale onion trader at Hili Bazar Abu Taher said onion is being sold at Tk 2,200-2,300 per maund at the godowns in Pabna district. Besides, transportation cost needs to be added to it. “So, we have pay Tk 55 for a kg of local variety of onion at the godowns. We sell ‘King’ variety of good quality of onion at Tk 60 per kg, while somewhat smaller sized onion is being sold at Tk 55 per kg. If the import of onion from India starts, the price of local variety of onion will go down further. If the onion is not imported from India,price of the local variety of onion will rise in the days ahead.”
It may be mentioned that the Indian government imposed a ban on onion export on December 8 last year citing crisis in domestic market. Then the onions of Tk 40-45 a kg went up to Tk 140 a kg increasing by several times. After some days, the onion prices started falling again and the prices stood at Tk 45-50 per kg.
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