Onion price drops to Tk 30 per kg in Dhaka

The price of onion has come down to Tk 30 per kilogramme in retail markets of Dhaka due to falling demand amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The fall comes after eight months at a time when most restaurants are closed.

Onion prices shot up to Tk 280 to Tk 300 last November in the kitchen markets due to a supply crunch after the Indian government banned the export of onions to Bangladesh last September.

In several kitchen markets, imported onions were selling for Tk 30 per kg while local ones cost Tk 40-45 per kg.

Mohammad Hafiz Uddin, an importer at the country's biggest wholesale market in Dhaka's Shyambazar, told UNB that the prices decreased vastly due to less demand as most hotels and restaurants are shut.

"There is enough supply of local onion, while Indian onions are entering the country in small amounts. Besides, recent bad weather amid the shutdown affected the market too," he said.

Hafiz Uddin said he sold per kg onion for Tk 10 to Tk 20 based on quality on Friday. "We don't get enough customers; that's why we have to sell it at low prices," he added.

Kazi Masum, a shopkeeper in old Dhaka, said he sold each kg imported onion at Tk 30 and local good ones at Tk 40-45 per kg.

"We have to sell all products at slightly higher prices compared to wholesale market as we have huge cost. I have to pay Tk 40,000 as rent of the shop. Besides, we have to spend on house rent and feed our families. So, there is no way to take some extra profit," he added.

Meanwhile, the prices of each kg green chili also came down to Tk 30-40, from almost double that in Ramadan in the retail market. Besides, per kg good quality garlic and ginger were selling at Tk 120 and Tk 150 for the last several weeks.

Prices of different vegetables and spices had dropped during Eid vacation as many city dwellers left the city to celebrate Eid. But now vegetable prices are going up gradually due to reopening of some hotels while many people have returned to the city.