RANGPUR, Nov 27, 2019 (BSS) – As per directive of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina, the ministries concerned will soon adopt comprehensive plans for
achieving self-sufficiency in onion production to meet demands of the people
in the country.
“We have learnt a lot from the current onion crisis. Some difficulties
teach to properly identify reasons behind those for permanent solution to
benefit the nation,” Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, MP, told journalists here
today.
On the sidelines of a seminar held at the conference room of the Deputy
Commissioner in the city, the Minister told journalists that the country’s
annual demand of onion stands at around 24 to 25 lakh tonnes.
“Our farmers produce 22 to 23 lakh tonnes of onion annually and around five
lakh tonnes of produce are damaged during harvest, transportation and
preservation keeping 17 to 18 lakh tonnes as consumable,” Tipu said.
The country faces a deficit of seven to eight lakh tonnes of onion
annually, and the traders import 90 percent of the deficit onion from India
alone.
“Generally, 75,000 to 80,000 tonnes of onion were being imported every
month from India. Price of onion has increased sharply after stopping onion
export from India to Bangladesh from September 27,” Tipu said.
“We immediately took decision to import onion from Myanmar, Egypt, Turkey
and Pakistan,” he said.
The landing cost of onion from Myanmar initially stood at Taka 40 per kg,
but soon rose to Taka 80 per kg when traders in Myanmar raised its export
price.
“We have already imported about 1,000 tonnes of onions by air with landing
cost of Taka 200 per kg and are selling the same at subsidized rate of Taka
45 per kg through Trading Corporation of Bangladesh,” Tipu said.
By this time, 2,000 tonnes of onion shipment already arrived on Tuesday by
the sea route while shipments of 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of more onions are
to arrive in the country by the next 10 days.
“We have learnt a good lesson and want to become self-reliant on onion
production,” Tipu said adding that newly harvested onions will flood local
markets soon and steps will be taken so that farmers get a fair price.