Onion import through cargo plane until prices turn normal

To keep the supply and prices of onion normal the government has decided to import it on emergency basis through cargo plane from Sunday. Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will import onion from Turkey as the government agency while S Alam Group will import from Egypt under private initiatives.

Commerce Secretary Dr. Zafar Uddin informed about the decision on Friday and said, import of onion will continue through cargo plane until the market turns normal. A Deputy Secretary has been sent to Turkey for importing onion under government initiatives. Besides, another Deputy Secretary is now in Egypt.

A commerce ministry press note said, to keep the supply and prices normal onion is being imported directly from Turkey through TCB under initiatives by the commerce ministry, under private initiatives by S Alam Group from Egypt and other firms from Afghanistan and UAE will import through cargo plane. Already the formalities have been done. Adequate onion can be supplied in the market within a very short period. Besides, imported onion is on the way to Bangladesh through ships and the biggest consignment will reach in the country soon.

The notice also said, problem occurred for onion transport in different places including Teknaf land port and Chattogram seaport due to cyclone Bulbul. It is hoped that adequate onion will come in the local market within short span of time and the prices will turn into normal.

AH