India to allow 25k-tonne onion export to Bangladesh on particular consideration
The Indian government will probably grant its authorities a special permission to export 25,000 tonnes of onion to Bangladesh.
Diplomatic sources said your choice may very well be announced tomorrow.
"The Indian authorities has made a decision to export 25,000 tonnes of onion to Bangladesh over special consideration. This is a special gesture to its closest friend," a diplomatic supply told The Daily Celebrity today wishing anonymity.
The decision is likely to be made effective from today, the source added.
The Indian Directorate Basic of Foreign Trade yesterday evening issued a "Clarification on para 9.12 (B) of Handbook of Procedure on 'Date of Shipment/Dispatch according of exports'", which says "wherever procedural/policy provisions have been modified to disadvantage of exporters, the same shall not come to be applicable consignments already handed over to Customs..."
"This provision continues to be applicable wherever the circumstances are met," the clarification said. Diplomatic sources said the notification pertains to a number of the onion-laden trucks stranded at distinct details of the India-Bangladesh border, that will form area of the 25,000 tonnes.
The country's onion marketplace became unstable as prices of the fundamental cooking item soared after India banned export of onion on September 14.
This is not the first instance of India banning onion export without the prior notice, and the costs in Bangladesh increasing subsequently.
In late September last year, an identical ban was imposed by India, which had an instant ripple effect. Onion prices in Bangladesh soared near Tk 300 per kg from Tk 40.
In a letter to the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh on Tuesday, the Bangladesh foreign ministry explained such sudden bans on onion exports was a subject of deep concern and it undermined the earlier discussions regarding limitations over essential food items.
Meanwhile, retailers were advertising just about every kg of onion at rates higher by Tk 10 to Tk 20 compared to the rates of wholesalers in Dhaka and Chattogram cities yesterday.
Customers said some unscrupulous traders have jacked up the costs due to poor monitoring of marketplaces by the administration.
At Khatunganj wholesale industry in Chattogram, Indian onion was sold for Tk 60-70 per kg, however the range was sold for Tk 70-90 per kg at retail markets in the town, reports our staff correspondent in the interface city.
