The price of imported onions has jumped by Tk7-8 in the span of just a day, at Hili Land Port, on Friday.
According to sources at the port, Indore, Gujarat, and Hooghly—three imported onion varieties from India—are being sold at Tk18-20 per kilogram. The prices had hovered between the range of Tk10-13 per kilogram on Thursday.
Upon inspecting Hili bazaar, it was discovered that the price hike has also influenced the sale of onions on the retail market, as the low-quality Indian onions— which were previously sold at between Tk 14-15—are now being sold at between Tk18-20.
Locally-produced onions are being sold at Tk15-18.
Harunur Rashid, an onion importer at Hili Land Port, said due to the four-day suspension of operations at the port, importers have been prevented from importing onions on a daily basis; hence the price hike.
Previously, 40-50 tons of onions were imported daily, he added, but that figure has decreased to 15-20 tons.
Harun hopes that onion prices will return to their previous price once the land port resumes operation.
