Onion prices stable, showing slight decline

Onion prices have declined slightly, and remained stable at high prices, at retail markets in Dhaka city on Friday. 

The price of locally-cultivated onion has remained relatively stable at Tk90 per kilogramme and imported onions at Tk70-75 at markets in Dhaka city today. 

Shafiqul Islam, a seller in Dhaka's Rampura area, said the price of onion decreased by Tk10 per kilogramme a day earlier and it remained unchanged on Friday.

However, a few sellers here were seen demanding Tk100 per kilogramme for local onions.

Locally cultivated onions were sold at Tk75-76 per kilogramme in Shyambazar on Thursday, but then sold at Tk75-80 on Friday morning.

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (Dncrp) conducted operations across the country, including on Friday, to control the onion market.

Officials of the department conducted a raid on onion wholesale shops at Karwan Bazar. During the raid, the officials warned traders not to destabilise the market. 

Dncrp deputy director Md Masum Arefin told The Business Standard, "There are some unscrupulous traders who are making the market unstable. Alongside warning them, we have instructed the business association of Karwan Bazar to work to keep the onion market stable."

However, no trader has been fined at this time, he added.

The price of onion doubled overnight at the country's wholesale and retail markets from September 14; when neighbouring India imposed an export ban on the cooking essential.

The price of locally cultivated onion has gone up from Tk60 to 120. Imported onions increased from Tk45-50 to Tk90-100.