For the first time in two and a half years, a consignment of 15 tons of onions arrived at Benapole land port in Jashore from India on Monday night.
Shyamal Kumar Nath, deputy assistant at the port’s Plant Quarantine Centre, said the consignment entered the port around 8pm. After quality inspection, customs cleared the shipment for release.
Onion imports through Benapole had remained suspended since March 2023, he added.
Assistant Commissioner of the port Rajon Hossain said field officials were instructed to expedite customs formalities for swift release.
SM Well Traders of Bagerhat imported the consignment, while India’s National Trading Corporation exported it.
Aminul Haque Anu, vice president of Benapole Port Importers-Exporters Association, said the government had earlier restricted onion imports to protect local growers. As prices soared in the domestic market, imports were allowed to help bring them under control.
According to customs, each metric tonne was imported at Tk37,429.
In the local market, the imported onions are expected to sell at Tk58–60 per kilogram depending on quality.
