Onions stuck at border getting rotten

No truck of onions has entered Hili Land Port in last six days as the Indian government has stopped onion exports. 150 trucks of importers are waiting on various roads in India for entering Bangladesh. The onions in these trucks are being rotted, the concerned sources said.

The Indian government abruptly stopped onion exports on September 14, citing crisis and high prices in its markets.
Importer Shahidul Islam Shahid said “Since last Monday, onion-laden trucks have been stuck in Indian side near Hili border and onions have started getting damaged”.

“In the meantime, half of the onions have damaged. If the trucks enter the country on Saturday (September 19), more than half of the onions will be rotten. This will cause a loss of Taka five to six lakh to the traders per truck”.

Haroon Ur Rashid Haroon, an importer at Hili Land Port, told risingbd that more than 150 trucks of onions reached the border before the Indian government’s announcement. Indian exporters have said that they will release the trucks.

Citing Indian traders, the importer said, "Onion prices have come down in the Indian market due to the suspension of exports to Bangladesh. The farmers of that country are not getting fair prices. The fall in onion prices in different parts of the country has created a chaotic situation there”.