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The price of onion increases day by day in Noakhali despite having sufficient stocks in the merchants’ warehouses. Local shoppers lost in onion fever are common.
The price of onion has doubled in the last 10 days. At present, the wholesale price of onion is Rs 42-45 per kg and the retail price is Rs 48-50. Retailers have blamed the importers union for the high price of onions.
Consumers have demanded that the administration campaign in wholesale markets and warehouses to control the price of onions and maintain the purchasing power of the common man.
This information was obtained by visiting Chaumuhani Bazar of Begumganj Upazila, the wholesale market of Greater Noakhali (Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur district) on Sunday noon.
There are more than three thousand wholesale and retail businesses in the Chaumuhani market. Swapan Saha, owner of Messrs. Ram Mohan Saha, a Kalitala Road trader in the Chaumuhani Wholesale Market, said he sells between 14,000 and 15,000 bags of onions every month. The wholesale price of onion was Rs 22-25 per kg even 10 days ago, but in the last 5-6 days, the wholesale price of onion has suddenly increased by Rs 20-25 per kg.
Babul Saha, owner of Messrs. Arvind Saha, a wholesaler of onions, garlic, chili peppers and turmeric in Chaumuhani, said he has been doing business in the city for the past 25 to 26 years. In its business life, the price of onion has risen abnormally in March-April this year and since August 25. He blamed the land port merchants for this.
He said that he and other traders used to bring onions to Chaumuhani by truck from importers in land ports in the Hili, Bhomra and Sonamasjid areas. Your company has a demand for 1,200 to 1,500 manas of onion per month.
He said: ‘On August 25, the price of onion was Rs 22-24. Starting on August 26, importers suddenly started to increase the wholesale price by 2-3 rupees per kg. It has been increasing for the last 7-8 days and the price has reached 45 rupees per kg. Onions sell for higher prices somewhere.
Dilip Saha, Babul Saha, Swapan Saha, Apu Saha, Arbindu Saha and Md. Babul Mia said that the August floods had caused serious damage to onions along with other crops in neighboring South Bengal and West Bengal of India. That is why Indian exporters and wholesalers have reduced onion exports to Bangladesh, causing a sudden spike in onion prices. However, there are sufficient stocks of onions on the market.
Zaheer Uddin Babar, owner of Messrs. Monowara Traders, a grocery store in Chaumuhani Bazar, said: “There are thousands of metric tons of onions in stock at the Chaumuhani Bazar wholesale warehouses. Onion wholesale traders and importers in the border areas are unionizing and showing an artificial crisis in the market and manipulating the wholesale price of onion to Rs 20-25 per kg.
Meanwhile, think that management should pay attention.
Buyer Kabir Hossain, Yunus Ali, Md. Yasin, Roxana Akhter, said that despite adequate stocks of onions on the market, traders are earning millions of rupees in additional profit through the union by dusting the eyes of buyers and keep management in the dark. They demanded immediate action from the district administration in the onion market in the interest of general buyers.
Humayun Kabir, president of the General Chaumuhani Bazar Trade Association, said: “There is no onion importer in Chaumuhani. All those who are there are shopkeepers. In land ports, Chaumuhani traders buy and sell onions to those who import onions from India. Importers syndicate and set the price of onion to stockists. Which has an impact on the local Chaumuhani wholesale market.
Begumganj Upazila Nirbahi (UN) official, Shamsun Nahar, said: “Onion prices have risen across the country. Onions are sold at the same price in Begumganj’s Chaumuhani at the same rate as other districts in the country. If the onions are sold in Chaumuhani at a higher price than in other districts of the country, it will come under scrutiny.
Noakhali Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Khorshed Alam Khan said: “There is enough onion on the market. Strict measures will be taken if someone tries to handle onions. The operation will take place through a mobile court very soon.
