As exports to Bangladesh have virtually stopped, 30,000 tonnes of Indian onions are rotting at the border. Bangladesh is the largest buyer of Indian onions. However, local onion traders are currently in trouble due to the lack of Indian onion exports to Bangladesh.

It is known that onion exports to Bangladesh were normal even two months ago. At that time, more than a hundred trucks of onions were going to Bangladesh every day through the Mahdipur border in Malda district of West Bengal and Hili border in South Dinajpur district. In the hope of that, Mahdipur traders in Malda district had stockpiled about 20,000 metric tons of onions. Traders in Hili in South Dinajpur district had stockpiled another 10,000 metric tons of onions.

But now, these traders are facing huge losses due to the lack of onion exports to Bangladesh. To avoid additional losses, they are forced to sell these onions at a much lower price.

Mohammad Rubel Hossain, a trader at Mahdipur border in Malda district, said, “We brought onions from Nashik, Maharashtra, after receiving a quotation for exporting onions from Bangladesh. But after arriving at the port, we suddenly found out that onions could no longer be exported to Bangladesh. As a result, we are having to sell those onions at a pittance for fear of rotting.”

However, traders at the Ghojadanga and Petrapole land ports in North 24 Parganas district did not stock onions in this manner, which has given them some relief.

Kartik Chakraborty, secretary of the Petrapole Land Port Clearing Agent Staff Welfare Association, told that at the moment, there are no trucks loaded with onions parked at Petrapole and Ghojadanga land ports.

A visit to the market revealed that relatively good quality onions are being sold at Rs 25 to 30 per kg in Kolkata and its surrounding cities.

Dweep Barman, a wholesale onion seller in Kolkata, said that retail onion prices may be a bit high here. The price may come down further once the onions from the godowns are released.