Green chilli imports from India have resumed through Dinajpur’s Hili land port after more than eight and a half months, as the government seeks to control rising prices in the domestic market.
Three trucks carrying 21 tons of green chillies entered Bangladesh from India at around 3:30pm on Monday. The chillies are being imported from Katihar, India.
Importers expect increased supply to bring down prices in the local market. The last green chilli consignment through Hili entered Bangladesh on November 20 last year.
Anwar Hossain, deputy director of Hili Land Port Plant Quarantine Centre, said the government allowed green chilli imports on Sunday following a surge in domestic prices.
By 4pm Monday, 74 Hili-based importers had received permits to import 27,110 tons of green chillies. Imported consignments will be sampled and certified before being released from the port.
Persistent rainfall and flooding have disrupted the supply of agricultural produce, pushing up the prices of essential commodities in Dhaka.
Green chilli prices have also risen sharply, with the item selling at around Tk400 per kilogram or more in many markets.
Traders attributed the price hike to supply disruptions caused by heavy rains and floods, which have affected production and transportation. Higher wholesale and transport costs, along with reduced output in flood-hit areas, have further pushed up retail prices.