Onion Imports : Big Relief for Onion Farmers! Bangladesh Grants Import Permission

There is good news for onion-producing farmers. Bangladesh has finally decided to allow onion imports from India. This decision will directly benefit onion-producing farmers and onion exporters in India. Bangladesh has announced the allocation of 50 import permits with a daily capacity of 30 tons starting from December 7. It has been revealed that only importers who have already applied will receive these permits.

According to the information received, permission has been granted to export approximately 15,000 quintals of onions from India to Bangladesh daily. The state president of the Onion Producers Farmers Association, Bharat Dighole, has welcomed this decision, stating that this step will boost onion prices and provide some relief to farmers. Due to the long-term decline in onion prices, farmers were in a difficult situation. With increased exports, demand in the market will rise and onion prices are expected to remain stable, as expressed by farmer organizations.

President Dighole said, “If the central government had allowed onion exports to various countries at the right time, farmers would not have had to sell onions at lower prices.” He also demanded that the central government should not impose any ban on onion exports in the future. According to him, stable and open export policies are extremely important for farmers. If other countries also decide to import onions from India, there will be a positive increase in onion prices in the domestic market. Although this decision was made late, opening the doors for exports will still provide some financial support to farmers.

Meanwhile, in many parts of the state, unseasonal rain and subsequent flood conditions have severely impacted the production of summer onions. In many places, crops rotted, and in some places, both crops and land were washed away. This has resulted in losses worth crores for farmers. Due to reduced production, prices had increased for a while; however, recently, there has been a significant drop in onion prices in the market. This decline has directly affected farmers, having a serious impact on their income.

Against this backdrop, angry farmers staged a tractor march in the administrative office premises today in protest against the price drop. Farmers demand that the government implement a stable export policy with a minimum support price for onions. In the current situation, the import permission received from Bangladesh is sure to provide some relief to the farmers. If exports increase, market prices will improve, and farmers will receive significant help to recover from losses. Various farmer organizations are demanding that the central and state governments formulate stable policies regarding onions and make decisions in the interest of farmers in the coming period.