1st consignment of 58 tonnes of Myanmar onions unloaded at Ctg port

The first consignment of 58 tonnes of Myanmar onions were unloaded at the port on Monday night after Chattogram Seaport Plant Quarantine Center issued the clearance.

Mohammad Asaduzzaman, deputy director of the centre, told BSS that the onions were imported from Myanmar through an importer in Chattogram.

"We've issued a clearance in favour of this invoice. The consignment has been unloaded from the port. Another 118 tonnes of onions have come from Pakistan. Hopefully, more will also enter the country soon from the other importers," he added.

Asaduzzaman said traders have taken 322 permits (IPs) for importing 1,47,554 tonnes of onions through the Chattogram Seaport Plant Quarantine Center. They will import onions from 12 countries -- China, Egypt, Turkey, Myanmar, New Zealand, Netherlands, Malaysia, South Africa, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India and Pakistan, he added.

According to the Chattogram Custom House, necessary preparations have been completed for the distribution of onions as soon as those arrive at Chattogram port. They will give priority to unloading the onion consignments, the source added.

Chattogram port sources said a total of 256 tonnes of onions have reached the port. Of those, 58 tonnes have been unloaded.

Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Omar Faruk told BSS that consignments imported from different countries have started to arrive at the port to address the onion crisis. They are hundred percent ready for speedy delivery of these consignments, he added.