Onion price: Action against 2,500 'unscrupulous traders'

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Bangla Tribune Report
Published : 19:59, Nov 18, 2019 | Updated : 20:01, Nov 18, 2019

A man works at an onion wholesale market in the Kawran Bazar in Dhakaa, Bangladesh, July 24, 2019. REUTER/File PhotoThe government has taken legal measures against some 2,500 'unscrupulous traders' for manipulating the onion market, says Commerce Secretary Md Jafar Uddin.
“On behalf of the government, I want to assure that onion prices will come down soon following the measures initiated,” he told a media call at the Secretariat on Monday (Nov 18).
Onion prices started to go up after India banned export in late September. Since then the price has skyrocketed to as much as Tk 250 a kg.
Secretary Jafar said onion price increased as Myanmar hiked the export price, as well as Cyclone ‘Bulbul’, also played a part.
He said the government has asked businessmen to import onions from other countries. “A huge amount of onion is being brought via sea,” he said.
Initiatives have been taken to import onions from Egypt, Turkey, and China via air cargo following the directives of the prime minister, he added.
Meanwhile, planes carrying the first consignment of onion from abroad will hopefully reach the country on Monday, said Jafar.
“The local variety of onion has already hit the market in different districts. The activities of state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) have been strengthened [to tackle the situation],” he said.

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