Onion import through Benapole Port resumes after 2.5 years

For the first time in two and a half years, a consignment of 15 metric tonnes (MTs) of onions has arrived at Benapole land port in Jashore district from India.

Shyamal Kumar Nath, deputy assistant at the port's Plant Quarantine Centre, said the first consignment entered the port around 8pm on Monday.

After quality inspection, customs cleared the shipment for release.

Onion imports via Benapole were suspended from March 2023, he said.

Assistant Commissioner of the port Rajon Hossain said field officials were instructed to expedite customs formalities for swift release.

One SM Well Traders of Bagerhat imported the consignment while India's National Trading Corporation exported it.

Aminul Haque Anu, vice president of Benapole Port Importers-Exporters Association, said the government had earlier restricted onion imports to maintain fair prices of locally produced yield.

As the price of onions at the local markets soared the government allowed imports to bring the prices under control.

Customs sources said each metric tonne was imported at Tk37,429.

In the local market, the imported onions are expected to sell for Tk58–60 per kilogram depending on quality.