In addition to the nearby India, the government has decided to permit the import of onions from nine additional nations.
In an effort to lower local costs, the Indian government on August 19 imposed a 40 percent export levy on onions, effective immediately and lasting through December 31.
According to Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akhter in a statement to BSS today, approval has been granted to allow the import of onions from nine other nations in order to prevent a disruption in the supply chain of local markets caused by India’s application of a levy on onion exports.
“Despite imposition of duty by India, onion is being imported from the neighboring countries on regular basis,” Wahida said hoping that there would be no crisis of onion in the local market with the latest move for allowing import of onion from nine more countries.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh can now import 2,400 tonnes of onions from China, 3,910 tonnes from Egypt, 11,820 tonnes from Pakistan, 1,100 tonnes from Qatar, 2,110 tonnes from Turkey, 200 tonnes from Myanmar, 33 tonnes from Thailand, 4 tonnes from the Netherlands, and 3 tonnes from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Since receiving authorization to import 13.73 lakh tonnes of onions on June 5 of this year, around 3.79 lakh tonnes have landed in the nation.
To cool down the market heated up by India’s export limitations, the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission earlier on August 21 proposed the removal of the existing 10 percent (pc) charge on the import of onions.
The commission asked the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the commerce secretary to take the appropriate actions regarding duty reduction after India levied a 40 percent export duty.
