The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission has recommended that the commerce and agriculture ministries allow the import of onions to stabilise the market.
In this regard, the BTTC sent a findings report to the secretaries of the commerce and agriculture ministries on Thursday, demonstrating trends in聽onion prices over the past years.
According to the report, the average price of onions in March 2025 was Tk 42 per kilogram, which soared by about 150 per cent to Tk 105 per kg in November.
The prices of the tuber items also soared by 37 per cent to 42 per cent from the last week, the report added.
However, the retail prices of onions were at Tk 110-120 per kg, up about 53 per cent from last week鈥檚 Tk 70-80 per kg, according to market visits and Trading Corporation of Bangladesh data.
The BTTC report stated that the onion prices have historically jumped by over 100 per cent between March-April and November over the past three years, underscoring the need for a long-term solution to this recurring problem.
The report also found that certain intermediaries were trying to destabilise the market by creating an artificial shortage at almost every stage of the supply chain.
BTTC stated that the price hike鈥簊 benefits couldn鈥檛 reach the farmers; rather, the intermediaries are taking them.
In this regard, the BTTC urged the ministries to allow the import of onions from neighbouring countries.
The BTTC report also attributed the price spiral partly to delays in planting early-season varieties, locally known as 鈥筂urikata鈥� onions, which could delay harvesting and affect market supply.
The BTTC report also said that the prices of onions are low in the global market, including in India, from where Bangladesh imports about 99 per cent of its onions.
鈥楾he prices of onions are about Tk 16 in India; even after including all import duties and taxes, it would be possible to sell imported onions at less than Tk 50,鈥� the report stated.
Currently, importers are required to pay a total of 10 per cent import duty on onions.
In this regard, the commission urged the government to allow limited imports as the swift imports would help stabilise local supply and prices.
Earlier on September 4, the BTTC sent a report to the ministries stating that the government should allow the import of onions if prices exceed Tk 90 per kg, which had already surged to Tk 120.
The prices of onions have risen sharply in the country over the past weeks due to a supply crunch at the end of the season.
The traders said that prices soared as the supply of onions declined at this time, as it usually did, and that the high prices could persist for the next few months until the new season鈥檚 harvest arrives.
鈥楬owever, if the government allows imports, the prices might decline,鈥� said Babul Miah, a wholesale trader from Karwan Bazar.
Meanwhile, an official from the commerce ministry said on Tuesday that onion prices dropped up to 50 per cent in India, prompting businesses to import onions from India.
They intentionally hiked the onion prices, he added, saying that a large number of applications for import permits have been submitted.
The traders said the farmers haven鈥檛 had any onions left, creating a supply shortfall in the markets.
鈥榃hen the new harvest, including the murikata variant, arrives at the market in December, the price would come down,鈥� said Babul Miah.
The BTTC report also stated that the country produced about 44.48 lakh metric tonnes of onions in the financial year 2024-25.
The report attributed about 25 per cent-30 per cent of domestically produced onions to 鈥榩rocess losses,鈥� compared with聽about 11 per cent-15 per cent for the imported variant.
Despite several initiatives, the country currently does not have any government-run onion storage facilities. Farmers usually store onions in their own homes or warehouses.
The report urged the government to take proper measures to establish onion storage facilities.