Amid surging prices of onions throughout the country, 90 tonnes of onions are waiting to be unloaded after imports from India through Benapole port five days ago

Prices of onion increased by Tk 100 or more per kg overnight as traders began stockpiling following the news that India had extended a virtual restriction on its export.

About 7,000-8,000 workers have taken up this seasonal occupation since November, working round the clock in the coasts of the Bay. About 12,000 fishers are also spending busy days, catching sea fish varieties used as raw materials

The poverty situation in Bangladesh was higher than expected in 2020-21 as the COVID constrained economic activity and reduced incomes. The situation worsened further amid spirals in global food prices in 2022. And the global economic slowdown could push more people into poverty this year.  

India has extended the ban on the exports of onion till March next year with a view to increasing availability in domestic markets and to keep prices in check, according to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade yesterday. 

Leaving his chicken shop to his salesman, Abul Kashem rushed to gate-1 of New Market around 11:00am yesterday to buy essentials from a mobile shop of the government’s Open Market Sale programme.

Price of sugar, both loose and packaged, increased by up to Tk 30 per kilogramme at different markets in the capital over the past couple of weeks.

A festival of fish lovers

The government today will start selling soybean oil, potatoes, onions, and lentils at subsidised rates in Dhaka to alleviate the suffering of low-income consumers, especially those without TCB family cards.

A mobile court today recovered 590kg of government rice from the residence of a food officer in Shariatpur

The price of locally grown onions rose to Tk 150 per kg at retail stores in Dhaka yesterday, up from Tk 140 the day before.

Prices of potatoes and onions have skyrocketed in the kitchen markets.

The commerce ministry yesterday directed the district administrations to ensure sales of potatoes at the government’s fixed rate at the cold storages, according to a statement.

The agriculture ministry has started issuing permits to importers to bring potatoes to control prices

India yesterday imposed a minimum export price of $800 per tonne for onions -- much higher than the prices at which importers were buying.

The import of eggs has been held up because of the delay in getting the negative avian influenza certification from a competent authority.

A month ahead of the Aman harvesting season, prices of rice have gone up by Tk 1 to 3 per kg over the last one week in the capital’s kitchen markets.

Azizul Haque, a resident of Mirpur-14, went to a nearby kitchen market to buy vegetables yesterday morning.

Says commerce minister

Chattogram Custom House auctioned off around 24.5 tonnes of apples for Tk 5.05 lakh, where the price per kilo was Tk 21, in an open auction on Wednesday