Onion imports to resume Sunday

The agriculture ministry has announced that onion imports will resume on December 7 in order to stabilise the domestic market.

According to a press release issued today, 50 import permits will be issued daily, with each permit allowing the import of up to 30 tonnes of onions.

Only importers who applied for permits since August 1 will be eligible to reapply, and each importer may submit only one application.

The ministry said the measure will continue until further notice to keep onion prices at a reasonable level.

Today, onions were sold at Tk 150 per kg in Dhaka's retail markets, up Tk 20–30 per kg from last week.

Traders said prices have risen sharply because early-harvest onions have not yet arrived and no new import permits have been issued in recent weeks.

The Department of Agricultural Extension estimates last season's harvest at over 39 lakh tonnes, enough to meet domestic demand.

However, it projects that an additional 6–7 lakh tonnes of imports will be needed to offset post-harvest losses.