Desk Report:

Local onion prices jump to Tk100 per kg again in the capital’s market. One day ago, onion was sold at a maximum price of Tk 90 per kg in the market. However, on Monday, the price of this onion increased by 5 to 10 taka per kg.

Local onions of Murikata variety were sold at Tk 95 to Tk 100 per kg in Kochukhet, Karwan Bazar, and Rampura markets of the capital yesterday. The onion which was being sold at Tk 100 per kg was a little bigger. There is no supply of imported onion in the market. Only a few shops have seen imported onions but in very small quantities. These imported onions were sold at Tk 100 to Tk 120 per kg.

At the beginning of last December, after the Indian government stopped the export of onion, the price of onion in the country’s market exceeded Tk 200. After the arrival of the new onion of the desi Murikata variety in the market, it was initially sold at a price of more than one and a half hundred taka. A week ago, the price of this onion fell to 75 to 80 taka, but now the price is increasing again.

When asked about the reason for the price increase, Enamul Hossain, a seller at Rampura market, said that the new local onion of slightly larger size has arrived in the market. As the quality of this onion is slightly better, the price has also increased. However, the Murikata onions are finished, it will take some time to increase the supply of new Murikata onions.’

The picture of the onion price increase was also seen in the market price report released by the government marketing agency Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) yesterday. According to this report, new local onion was sold for Tk 90 to Tk 100 per kg in the Dhaka market. A week ago, the price of this onion was 75 to 80 taka. And the price of imported onions fell from 100 to 120 taka per kg. A week ago it was 85 to 90 taka. Local and imported onion prices rose by 23 and 26 percent respectively during the week.

Meanwhile, it has been found that the price of onion has started increasing in the local market in Pabna. A few days ago, onion was sold at Tk 60-70 per kg wholesale in various markets. The same onion is now being sold at Tk 75-85 per kg in different markets including Karamja Chatur market in Santhia upazila.

Due to the end of early onion production, the price of onion has increased up to Tk 15 per kg in various production areas of Pabna in the last three days.

Talking to farmers and onion traders, it is known that Murikata varieties of onions are now available in the market. A month and a half ago, this onion started coming to the market. But most of the onions have already been picked. As a result, prices start to increase as supply begins to decrease. However, within a month, the main variety Halikata onion will start to arrive in the market. Then the price of onion will come down again.