In the Rangpur region, price of the onion is rising rapidly along with the price of rice. In the wholesale and retail market, the price of onion has gone up by at least Tk 20 per kg in a week. Domestic onions are being sold at Tk per kg and Indian onions at Tk 45 per kg. At the same time, there has been an onion crisis in the markets. This picture was seen while visiting different markets of Rangpur metropolis on Friday.
The Rangpur City Bazaar, the largest wholesale market for raw materials, was visited by the correspondent to get information on the onion crisis.
According to some buyers, the standard Indian onion is being sold at a wholesale price of Tk 1,040 per mound. The price per kg fell to Tk 36. Which is being sold in the retail market at a price of Tk 45. Domestic onions are being sold at a wholesale price of Tk 2,400 per quintal. The price per kg fell to Tk 60. Which is being sold in the retail market at Tk 80. But even a week ago, the price of onion in the retail market was Tk 25 per kg for Indian onion and Rs TK per kg for domestic onion.
Meanwhile, many people who came to the market to buy onions have returned due to high prices and crisis.
A buyer named Sadeq Ali expressed frustration when he came to buy onion in the city's Siobazar area. He said that onions are not available in the market even with high prices. However, the price of freshly picked onions is a bit lower than that. The same pattern has been found in different markets including City Bazar, Kamarpara Bazar, Kamal Kachna Bazar, Shapla Chattar Bazar, Bus Terminal Bazar.
In the wake of rising onion prices, vendors say heavy rainfall in several Indian states have hampered onion production. As a result, Bangladeshi importers are importing Indian onions at much higher prices. This has started to affect the price of onion in Bangladesh. In addition, due to favorable rains in Faridpur area of Bangladesh, local onion growers are harvesting late from the field. Abul Kashem, a wholesale onion trader in Rangpur City Bazar, said that due to these two reasons, the price of onion has been increasing in the market even during the season. However, if onion imports increase, prices will come down. Mentioning the quantity of onions in the yard as per the demand, he said that at present the price of onion has gone up by at least Tk 20 per kg.
Monwar Hossain, an onion importer at Hili land port, said onions are regularly imported from Inder, Gujarat and Maharashtra in India. Due to heavy rains in those areas a few days ago, farmers are not picking new onions from the field. Due to this onion is being imported from there at extra price. He said that due to high onion prices in those parts of India, imports at the port have declined a bit, which has affected the retail prices in the market.
Trader Raihan Kabir said an average of 25 to 26 trucks of onions are needed daily at Hili port to maintain the supply-demand chain in the country.
But in contrast, 10 to 15 trucks of onions are being imported. The supply of onions in the Indian market has also declined. At present, the last days of the old onion of India are going on.
When new onions start to appear next January, then the prices will also come down.
Sohrab Hossain, public relations officer of Hili land port, said 10 to 15 trucks of onions were imported through the port last week.
Although 25 to 26 trucks of onions are required. He said imports had declined due to rising onion prices in the Indian market.
