Prices of onion increased markedly in the kitchen market despite having a good supply. Wholesalers and retailers blamed each other for the hike.
After being static for three weeks, prices of onion increased by Tk3-4 per kg at retail markets, according to the key kitchen markets in the city.
Local varieties were sold at Tk34-36 per kg while imported Indian/Burmese varieties were traded at Tk30-34 per kg Wednesday.
Meanwhile according to a recent report by New Delhi based web portal Zeenews, the India government has slashed the minimum export price (MEP) of onion by USD 50 per tonne to USD 250 per tonne, a move which would help in encouraging exports of the commodity.
Md Ashraful, a vendor at Hatirpool Bazar in the city told the FE that price of onion of local variety (Hali variety) increased to Tk1280 to 1300 per maund (40 kg) at Karwan Bazar wholesale which was highest Tk1120 per maund four days back.
Prices of imported onion also increased by Tk50-60 per maund, he said.
Md Shafiq, a grocer at Nowabganj Bazar in the older part of the city said that supply of onion have increased significantly in the market thanks to the ongoing harvesting season in Faridpur, Pabna, Bogra and Kushtia regions.
He said: "Every trader has a good stock of onion but the price is higher."
Narayan Chandra Saha, spice trader and importer at Shyambazar wholesale market in the city said that onion prices were static for last three weeks.
He said the prices increased by a nominal Tk0.25-Tk0.5 per kg before Pahela Baishakh (first day of Bangla new year) but came to its previous level today (Wednesday).
He said Faridpur variety (Hali) was sold at Tk1200-1220 per maund while good quality imported item was traded at Tk1120-1140 per maund on the day, he said.
Secretary of Consumers Association for Bangladesh (CAB) Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said local production is showing a good trend while price of the spice in neighboring India has fallen significantly.
He said import cost of onion is not more than Tk22 per kg now which are being traded at Tk30-35 per kg in retail.
He said onion is trading at Tk800-850 per maund at farmers' end in Faridpur region which is selling at Tk1200 per maund in the city wholesales.
"Lack of monitoring by the government agencies is encouraging traders and retailers to fix price at their wish," he said.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) director Md Rafiqul Hasan told the FE that onion has been cultivated at 0.19 million hectares of land from which they were expecting to get 1.9 million tonnes.
He said 95 per cent harvest has been completed. "Primary reports are showing that the country is going to get a bumper crop this year."
Bangladesh produced a record 1.65 million tonnes of onion in the last financial year (FY'14) against a demand of 2.2 million tonnes, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the commerce ministry.
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