Indian Onions: Importers count losses due to rot

A large portion of onions that were imported to Bangladesh from India in the last few days have been rotten, inflicting huge losses on the traders.

Several hundreds of onion-laden trucks, which were ready to enter Bangladesh, were stranded at different land ports of India after the neighbouring country imposed a sudden ban on onion export on September 14.

The ban caused a sharp rise in onion prices.

But only those traders, who could prepare the import documents before imposing the ban, were allowed to import onion to Bangladesh.

The trucks started entering Bangladesh from Saturday.

In Satkhira, around 829 tonnes of onion were imported through Bhomra land port on Saturday and Sunday, said Mohsin Hossain, revenue officer at the port.

Major portion of these onions have been rotten, said traders.

These trucks were stranded for around five to six days at Ghojadanga land port in India, said Mustafizur Rahman, general secretary of clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents Association on Bhomra land port.

As a result, these onions have been rotten, he said.

At least 235 onion-laded trucks are still stranded at Ghojadanga land port while around 100 trucks have returned to India, Mustafizur said

Meanwhile, some traders are selling onions at a low price at Ghojadanga port to minimize their losses, said Kanti Dutta, general secretary of C&F agents association in Ghojadanga, over phone.

In Dinajpur, at least 11 trucks carrying 246 tonnes of Indian onion entered Bangladesh through Hili Land Port in Hakimpur Upazila on Saturday.

But most of the onions have been rotten, said Harun Ur Rashid president of Importers and Exporters Group of the port.

Trucks were stranded for a few days. These onions have been rotten due to hot weather and rain during, he told The Daily Star.

In Chapainawabganj, at least eight onion-laden trucks entered into Bangladesh through Sonamosjid Land Port on Saturday.

Around 10 percent of these onions have been rotten, said Babul Hasna Durul, an onion importer.

Our correspondents from Dinajpur, Chapainawabganj and a correspondent from Satkhira contributed to this report.