Consignments of onions imported from other countries have begun to arrive at Chattogram port. After India stopped its export of the item, 258 tonnes of onions from Myanmar and Pakistan arrived in containers on Monday and Tuesday at the port. Earlier, 57 tonnes of onions in two consignments were released at the Teknaf land port. Since the halt of India’s onion export, 315 tonnes have arrived from alternative countries.
Secretary of the port, Omar Faruk, told Prothom Alo on Tuesday that priority would be given to the release of onion consignments. Two consignments had been unloaded and the importers are in the process of having the remaining consignments released.
If imports from these alternative countries increased, it would have a positive impact on the market.
The plant quarantine centre said that the first consignment was imported by Kayel Store. The company took clearance on 31 August to import onions from Myanmar before India halted its exports. Another company, Green Trade, has imported 116 tonnes of onions from Pakistan. It took clearance on 6 September for onion import.
The consignments for which clearance was taken after Indian stopped exports, have not reached the port as yet. These will begin to arrive from the first week of next month, according to the importers.
General secretary of Hamidullah Miah Market Kalyan Samity in Khatunganj, Mohammad Idris, told Prothom Alo that Indian onions are being sold for Tk 70 per kg in the wholesale market. The onions which have arrived from Myanmar are being sold at almost the same price. He said that if imports from these alternative countries increased, it would have a positive impact on the market.