Onions will arrive from India in 3 days, State Minister Titu says

India has banned exports, but there is no problem in delivery of pre-ordered products, the state minister says

Onions from India will be loaded onto trains by Sunday and arrive in Bangladesh in three days, State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu has said.

He faced questions about supply from India amid concerns that the export ban may send prices spiralling in Bangladesh during ongoing Ramadan when the kitchen staple is in high demand.

India banned onion exports, but there was no problem in delivery of pre-ordered products, Titu said, while speaking to journalists after a programme at Tangail Press Club on Saturday.

“The market will follow its own course. But if someone hoards products, they will face action,” he said.

He said Ramadan began two months after the general election, but the government ensured smooth supply on orders from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

India has extended its ban on onion exports indefinitely - a surprise move that comes ahead of a general election and is set to exacerbate high prices in some overseas markets.

Imposed by India - the world's biggest exporter of the vegetable - in December, the ban was due to expire on Mar 31. Traders had anticipated it would be lifted as local prices have more than halved since the export restrictions were implemented and this season's crop is yielding fresh supplies.

However, the government issued an order late on Friday that the ban will remain in place until further notice.

Countries such as Bangladesh rely on imports from India to fill domestic gaps in onion supply and many of those nations have struggled with high prices since the ban.