Staff Reporter:
The government will grant permission for the import of onions on a limited scale starting from Sunday to keep its price stable in the local market.
“Fifty import permits (IPs) will be issued daily, with each IP allowing a maximum of 30 tonnes of onions,” the Ministry of Agriculture said in a press release on Saturday.
Importers who have applied for permission from 1 August to date will only be eligible to resubmit their applications, it said, adding that each importer will have the opportunity to apply only once.
This measure of importing onions will continue until further notice, the ministry added.
The price of local onions climbed to Tk140-150 per kg in the capital’s kitchen markets on Friday amid low stocks of the essential culinary staple.
Traders said that low stocks of locally grown onions with farmers and hoarders have led to a decline in wholesale supply, driving up the prices of both local and imported onions.
The price of onions was Tk110-120 per kg on Thursday and remained at Tk120 per kg on Friday morning but climbed to Tk140-150 as the day progressed, with many traders running out of stock by noon.
