The second shipment of 976 tons of potatoes have arrived from India for domestic consumption in Bangladesh amid government efforts to ease the price.
On Thursday, seven trucks carrying 180 tons of potato entered the country through the Hilly land port.
For this reason, the prices of potato dropped at different markets. Indian potato is being sold at Tk31-33 per (kilogram) kg at wholesale hilly markets.
Retailer Md Ashraf Ali said the potato prices in hilly market dropped by Tk5 per kg after Indian potatoes reached the country. The sweet potato is now being sold at Tk55 instead of Tk60 at many places particularly in Dhaka city.
Mahbub Hossain, the manager of Khan International, an importing entity, said the potatoes are being imported from various parts of India. A ton of potato has been bought at $130-140.
Sohrab Hossain, public relations officer at Hili land port said they are helping the importers for rapid marketing of the potatoes, as potato is a perishable product. He said 45 Indian trucks have carried 1,166 tons potato into the country through the port in the last two days.
Besides, the second consignment of 518 tons of potatoes has reached Sonamasjid Land Port in Chapainawabganj. As such prices of potato dropped by Tk10-12.
Indian trucks carrying potatoes started to enter the port yard on Saturday noon.
On October 30, the commerce ministry decided to allow potato imports for the first time in an effort to increase supply of the tuber and curb prices, which have reached a historic high of Tk60 per kilogram (kg) in Dhaka.