The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

Market prices of onion marked a sharp fall by over 50 percent within a span of only five days everywhere in the northern districts of the country, market sources said.

The sources said the consumers had been purchasing imported Indian onion at the rate of Taka 55 to 58 per kg for a quite long time till last Saturday and the same is now being sold at Taka 25 to Taka 27 per kg in the local markets.

Onion retailers and wholesalers on Wednesday told BSS that huge supply of imported Indian onion to the local markets and appearance of the early variety locally produced onion are the reasons behind the sharp fall in onion prices and the trends would continue further.

On the other hand, the common consumers were found very happy while purchasing onion at the rates within their reach after long time at different markets in Rangpur town on Wednesday.

While talking to BSS on Wednesday, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rangpur Kamal Shariful Alam told that there are possibilities of further fall in onion prices as the early variety onion had started appearing in the local markets. Besides, onion prices might remain within the reach of the common people from now and onwards as the DAE has fixed an enthusiastic target for producing 3,81,720 tonnes of onion from 63,620 hectares of land in the northern region during the current Rabi season, he added.

He said special steps have been taken to increase production of spicy crop onion during the current Rabi season and a bumper production of the crop will further help the common consumers.

"Onion production in the region would continue to increase due to the new impetuous being given to the sector by various organisations and the crop is being cultivated twice a year during the summer and winter seasons in place of only once during the winter in the past," he said.