The train will arrive in Bangladesh tonight with onions from India. State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu said that 1,650 tons of onions will arrive in the first shipment.
He gave this information to the journalists after the meeting of the tax force on ‘commodity price and market situation review’ held in the meeting room of the Ministry of Commerce on Sunday (March 31).
The Minister of State for Commerce said that these onions will be sold at the rate of Tk 40 per kg in Dhaka and Chittagong through Trading Corporation Ab Bangladesh (TCB).
He said, since onion is a perishable product, we will not retain it. From tomorrow we will start taking …deposits from dealers and within a day…. We will open sale in Dhaka and Chittagong at fixed price of Tk 40.
When asked about the reason for selling in Dhaka and Chittagong, the state minister said, if we start selling onions at Tk 40 per kg in Dhaka, I believe that in at least 30 districts of the 64 districts, onions will be sold at Tk 40 per kg.
He said that although the price of rice has increased by 25 percent in the international market in the last one year, the price has not increased by more than 2 to 4 percent in our local market. Crude soybean oil and palm oil prices have increased by 11 to 13 percent in the international market in the past one month. Despite the increase in oil prices in the international market, with the help of our importers and mill owners, we were able to sell oil at Tk 163 per liter and Tk 149 in the open market.
He also said that the prices of all things have come down. If you see the price of soybean oil (loose) about 3.81 percent from the first Ramadan to the 18th Ramadan, the price has been given in this comparison.
“Our Director General of Agriculture Marketing Department is present. However, he faced a lot of controversies after revealing the rational pricing of 29 products. We have come out of this system of thin rice, thin rice and thick rice and we have created an outline of the name of rice at miller level, wholesale level and retail level sale’- said the State Minister of Commerce.
He said, we will inform the ministry of agriculture, food ministry and commerce ministry together. It will be effective from next Pahela Boishakh. With the combined efforts of all, we have been able to keep the market price at a tolerable level. We hope to be able to maintain it until next Eid.
He also said that we have various government representatives here. You know we talked to them. There is a discussion about how to keep the rational price for a long time. We have some challenges ahead of us. As you know, transportation is one of the challenges. We are working on that, our various agencies are working.
Titu said, we have also talked with NBR before the next budget to keep the essential commodities at a reasonable level for the whole year. So that we don’t have to correct the plan at the last minute. At the same time we have a 12 month plan for importers and manufacturers which is beneficial for everyone.
Read more
He said that regardless of the condition of the international market, our supply of products, especially edible oil, for the next two to three months i.e. until Eid al-Adha is sufficiently imported or in the supply chain. We have no problem with sugar either. All sugar mill owners and wholesalers are assured. There will be no problem with daily necessities. The market price of agricultural produce in the market has also come to a reasonable level. Some products are being sold at prices that are less than what is reasonably priced. It is affordable for many during Ramadan.
He further said that rice, sugar, oil, dal and chickpeas being given to one crore families through TCB have had a positive impact on the market, especially in the upazila towns. The market is getting a benefit of that. At the same time, we are seeing relief in the vegetable market as new vegetables are available in the market. Although you find a few problems in one or two places in the city.
In August last year, the government imposed a 40 percent tariff on onion exports to ensure normal supply to the Indian market. Then last October, the minimum export price of onion was set at 800 US dollars per ton. But since these measures were not very effective to increase the supply of onion in the domestic market, the Indian government completely stopped onion export on December 7.
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade has imposed a ban on onion exports until March 31 this year. After India’s ban, the price of onion in the Bangladesh market has suddenly increased. At the retail level, the price of chopped onion rose up to Tk 140 per kg.
In such a situation, State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu said that India will give 50 thousand tons of onion to Bangladesh. However, the supply of Indian onions has increased in the market even though Indian onions did not come. That’s why the price of onion is decreasing continuously. A few days ago, a kg of onion was 130-140 taka, now the kg of onion is 55-60 taka.
MAS/BA/JIM
#train #night #Indian #onions