Economy Desk: Onion prices have suddenly increased. Fresh onions are selling at Tk 100 per kg in the market throughout the week but are being sold at Tk 100 starting Sunday. On Monday (January 29), various retail markets in the capital showed such a picture of price increases. Most of the shops in the market are selling fresh onions for Tk 100 per kg. Traders say that the price of onions has increased a little due to the low imports of onions in the wholesale market. But if the supply is normal, the price will also come down.
Sirajul Islam, a vendor at Lakepar Bazar near Gulshan in the capital, said, “I mainly buy onions from Pabna and retail them here in my shop. Besides, sometimes I bring onions from wholesale markets, including Karwan Bazar in Dhaka. In Pabna, onions are now being bought at 80 to 85 taka per maund. The onion is being sold for Tk 100 in the retail market of Dhaka today, including transportation. My traders who are in Pabna told me yesterday that they are buying 3200 to 3400 rupees per maund. Basically, the price has increased since yesterday.
He also said that mainly fresh or ripe onions are picked at the end. These onions started coming into the market about one and a half months ago; now the farmer’s onions are at the end. As a result, the supply began to decrease. Due to a lack of supply compared to demand, the price of onions has suddenly increased. Now the basic onion of the farmer, which is available throughout the year, will take some time to grow. Until then, such additional costs may remain.
Rahman Mia, a grocer in the Badda area of the capital, said that the wholesale price of onions is going up, so the price has also increased in the retail market. There, the price per palla (one palla for 5 kg) has fallen to 470 taka, which means per kg has fallen to 94 taka. Then there is the cost of bringing it by rickshaw. All in all, today we are selling retail onions for 100 rupees per kg. Three days ago, I bought wholesale onions for 70 taka, then sold them for 80 taka per kg. But the price of onions suddenly increased from yesterday. Buying more in the wholesale market means onions are being sold at a higher price in the retail market as well.
Abdullah Al Mamun, a private worker who came to market in the capital’s Mirpur Sheorapara market, said, “Last 4-5 days, I bought onion for 80 taka, and today I came to buy it and saw that the price has gone up to 100 taka.” How can the price suddenly increase by 20 rupees within 1-2 days? What is market monitoring in the country? Those unscrupulous traders suddenly raise the prices of everything and hold the common consumer hostage.
Meanwhile, according to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) information, new onions were sold at Tk 90 to Tk 100 per kg in the capital yesterday. TCB Assistant Director (Market Information) Nasir Uddin Talukder told the media that yesterday new onions were sold at Tk 90 to Tk 100; just a day ago, their price was Tk 65 to Tk 70. Also, last month the price of onions suddenly increased, so new onions were sold at Tk 90 to Tk 100 at that time too. However, this time last year, fresh onions were sold in the market for between Tk 35 and Tk 40 per kg.
