The government’s decision to allow onion imports aimed at stabilizing the volatile market has not yet led to a decrease in retail prices, despite the decline in wholesale prices. Local onion prices have even increased by Tk 5 recently, as the supply of imported Indian onions remains insufficient. Traders report that the quality of the imported onions available in the market is poor, resulting in low demand. Local onions, on the other hand, continue to be in high demand. Market observations reveal that Indian onions are not widely available, and those being sold are damp and require careful selection.
Retail prices for imported onions range from Tk 55 to Tk 65 per kg, while desi onions are sold for Tk 70 to Tk 80 per kg. The latest data shows that 20,575 tons of onions have arrived from India in the last four days, out of the permitted 504,000 tons. However, wholesalers and retailers are indicating limited interest and sales for the imported onions due to their quality issues. It is worth noting that despite the country’s production meeting 70 percent of the demand, onion imports are still necessary for the remaining 30 percent, although the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) states that onion production exceeds the country’s demand, reaching approximately 3.5 million tons.
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