Potato import from India through Hili Land port begins

Potato imports from India through Hili Land Port in Dinajpur began again today, aiming to rein in the runaway price of potatoes in Bangladesh.

An Indian truck carrying 25 tonnes of potato entered Bangladesh through Hili Land port around 3:00pm today, our Dinajpur correspondent reports quoting the port officials.

M/s Mukta Enterprise imported the potato.

Ahmed Kabir, a C&F Agent of Hili Land Port, said around 100 tonnes of potatoes were supposed to be imported through the port.

Three more trucks carrying more 75 tonnes of potatoes will reach Bangladesh by today, he said.

Kabir said the import cost them Tk 28/kg including all expenses.

Kabir said the import costs, including all expenses, per kg potato was Tk 28.

Yusuf Ali, deputy assistant officer of the plant contamination control centre at Hili land port, said the government has approved import permission to 49 importers to import 34,000 tonnes of potatoes through the Hili land port from India

The government has taken the step, aiming to rein the runaway price of potatoes in domestic markets, the officials said.

Potato imports through different lands ports, including the Hili land port, started on November 2 last year as the price of this essential vegetable was skyrocketing.

However, the import was later suspended on December 15 last year.