After a short interval, the price of onion has started to rise again. In the last three-four days price of this essential item has increased to Tk 80 per kilogram.
Traders predict that due to short supply onion price is likely to reach Tk 200 per kilogram in the capital’s kitchen market. Traders are showing rain as an excuse behind the price hike. It is to be noted, as India imposed a ban on exporting onion to Bangladesh from November last year, the onion market remains unstable and the price reaches around Tk 200 per kilogram (kg).
However, due to the government’s multiple initiatives, the price started to decline at the end of last year. But the situation is turning out to be worse again. Visiting some of the capital’s markets, it was witnessed that from the very first day of 2020, onion price started to rise again. In the last four days price of local varieties of onion increased by Tk 40-50 in the wholesale market, while it increased to Tk 70-80 in the retail market. Good quality local variety of onion is sold at Tk 160-190 per kg, which was Tk 100-120 last week. Chinese and Egyptian onion is sold at Tk 80-100, which was Tk 50-60 last week.
A retail trader at Shyam Bazar named Ali Shukkur said, due to lack of adequate supply against the local demand during past four days, the price was climbing till Saturday.
He informed that, due to drizzling and sweeping cold wave, farmers were unable to harvest onion from their respective farm lands. As a result, the onion supply increased again. However, he hoped, if the weather remains good, supply of onion will become normal again and the price will stabilize.
