Indian potato import through Hili resumes after a break of 77 days

Import of Indian potatoes through Dinajpur's Hili land port resumed on September 25 after remaining halted since July 8.

Businesses stopped bringing in Indian potatoes for 77 days due to price parity between domestic and imported varieties in the local markets.

Import of the vegetable began after the government reduced duties on Indian potatoes from 15 percent to 3 percent, according to the importers of Hili land port.

At around 2pm on Wednesday, 47 tonnes of potatoes loaded in two trucks entered Bangladesh through the port, which were brought in by the Messrs Priyam Enterprise from India's Jalpaiguri.

Earlier, some 25 tonnes of Indian potatoes were imported for the last time on a truck before the beginning of the 77-day pause from July 8.

Domestic large potatoes were sold at Tk 50 per kg, small red potatoes at Tk 55 per kg, and imported varieties at Tk 65 per kg today in the local markets of Hili and Dinajpur, reflecting a price increase of Tk 2-5 per kg compared to the previous week.

Indian potatoes were imported at reduced tariffs to stabilise the domestic market, said Nasir Uddin, a leader of the Hili Importers and Exporters Group.

The import price for Indian potatoes stands at $180 a tonne with the wholesale prices in local markets set at Tk 42 per kg, he said.

Businesses warned that selling potatoes at lower than the import prices would result in losses for them.

This correspondent has seen a rise in the number of wholesale buyers in Hili's trading hubs since the Indian potatoes reached the local market.