Bangladesh: Onion traders are allowed to import Dutch onions

In light of India's recent onion export ban, the Bangladesh government has allowed local traders to import the product from ten other countries. The sharp price increase that followed the ban has now been contained thanks to sufficient supply of the local early season varieties on the domestic market. Traders have been granted permits to import onions from at least 10 countries following the sudden increase in India's export tax since August, according to the Agriculture Ministry. In the coming days, Bangladesh expects to import onions from China, Egypt, Myanmar, Netherlands, Pakistan, Qatar, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the US. While onion shipments have already arrived from almost half of these countries, traders have yet to source the product from Egypt, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Qatar and Turkey. However, Bangladeshi onion traders say they will not use the import permits they have received from the government fearing losses. The government said Bangladesh has ...