Prices of potato, onion to drop mid Dec: Tipu

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has said that the prices of potatoes and onion would come down in the market by the middle of December.

Tipu said made the remark while talking to reporters after the first meeting of the National Tariff Policy held at Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday.

He said, "There is a shortage of 20 per cent of the total demand of onion in the market. Around 90 per cent of the onion imports come mainly from India. Recently, India has increased their export price up to $800. As a result, the price of per kg onion reaches above Tk 95".

The minister said that import of potatoes and eggs has already been started although there were some complications in importing eggs which now have gone away. 

"The prices of both items will come down soon. However, the price of oil and sugar depends on the international market," he said.

The commerce minister also expressed the hope that the price of vegetables will come down in the market within the next week.

Tipu said considering the global condition, the prices of commodities did not increase much. But, the income of the common mass has to be increased, he added.

/KN/