Onion prices under control

When onion prices have reached Tk 150 a kg, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, raising many eyebrows, claimed that the prices were under control.

Prices of the essential cooking ingredient rose further yesterday and some retailers in the capital were demanding Tk 150 for each kilogram of the bulb.

The market price data by the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) showed that onion prices rose by Tk 10 yesterday to Tk 125-145 a kg from Tk 115-135 a kg the previous day.

This was the second consecutive day of spike in prices of onions this week, show TCB data, which recorded prices of the bulb at Tk 110-Tk 125 per kilogram on Saturday.

Prices began soaring since Monday.

However, the industries minister said, “I believe the onion market, which had gone beyond control, has now become under control.”

He made the remarks in absence of Commerce Minister Tipu Mushi while responding to a supplementary question from BNP lawmaker Jahidur Rahman.

The minister said onion prices soared as the neighbouring India stopped exporting the bulb to Bangladesh following flash floods there.

“But we brought the situation under control quickly by importing onions from Myanmar and Turkey,” he said.

Saiful Islam, a resident at Moghbazar area in Dhaka city, disagreed with the view of the minister.

“He is not right. Onion prices are rising and such a comment from a minister is unexpected. They should admit the reality,” said Saiful.

He demanded the government increase the number of TCB pickup-vans selling onions at Tk 45 a kg so that people can buy the bulb at reduced prices.

The industries minister said this was the lean period for onion and there is usually a crisis at this time of the year.

 “Our local onion is yet to hit the market, but it will come within few days,” he said.

 The minister said the government was launching mobile courts in districts and upazilas to prevent selling of onion at higher prices.

 Besides, the minister said the directorate of Consumer Rights Protection and other government agencies were monitoring markets across the country.

 Replying to a written question from Awami League MP Anwar Khan (Laxmipur-1), he said the annual demand of onion in the country is 24 lakh tonnes, while the country produces 23.31 lakh tonnes.

 “Of the produced amount, 30 percent get damaged during collection and preservation. That means, the total amount of production becomes 16.31 lakh tonnes. The deficit is met by importing from India,” he added.

 The minister said the government started to sell onion in the open market through TCB to control the onion market.