Onion price witnessed around 50 percent hike to sell between 1 k 30 and Tk 44 per kg while the price of garlic continued to show an upward trend with around eight percent increase in a month.

Importers said a fall in production of garlic in China and onion price hike in India following heavy flooding in the country's southern states recently affected the prices of these two items. Garlic price went up by around 200 percent in a year selling between Tk 70 and Tk 110 a kg. The price of imported onion, which was between Tk 18 and Tk 25 a kg in early September, has now shot up to Tk 30 to Tk 36. This is 53.49 percent rise in a month, according to the report of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Besides, the price of local variety of onion, which was between Tk 36 and Tk 38 per kg in early September, has now shot up to Tk 38 to Tk 44 with 10.81 percent rise, said TCB that prepared the report based on their visits to the city's Karwan Bazar, New Market, Hatirpool, Moulavi Bazar, Sutrapur, Fakirapool, Mirpur, M o h a m m a d p u r , Shahjahanpur, Malibagh, Jatrabari, Shantinagar, Kochukhet and Mohakhali markets.

Moulavi Bazar Traders Association General Secretary Golam Mawla said recent flooding in Indian southern states hampered transport of onion ultimately affecting its price in the local market.

“As onion price went up in Patna of Bihar, we now import from south Indian states. The onion price in southern states also increased because of floods," he said.

Dhaka Metropolitan Agriculture Products Importers' Association General Secretary Khandaker Babul of Shyambazar said traders in the wholesale market of the city were badly affected, as huge amount of imported onion got rotten during the vacation of Eid and Puja.

Traders were compelled to sell onion at negligible prices during the vacation. They are now selling onion at higher prices to make up for the losses," he told The Daily Star yesterday.

Meanwhile, imported garlic price went up toTk 70 to Tk 75 a kg yesterday from Tk 65 to Tk 75 a kg early September. Garlic was sold between Tk 28 and Tk 32 a kg the same time last year.

The price of local variety of garlic on October 8 last year was only Tk 30 to Tk 34 per kg. which is now between Tk 90 and Tk 110 a kg, an increase by 212.50 percent, according TCB.

“The garlic price was $360 to $400 per metric ton just four months back, but it has gone up to around $1,050 now in China." said Khandaker Babul, a garlic importer in Shyambazar.

He said they imported garlic ahead of Eid-ul Fitr at $940 per metric ton. but it was sold at lower prices because of more supply.

“As the price in China went high, traders are afraid of importing more garlic." Babul said, adding that this is the reason why garlic price is now high.

China witnessed around 30 percent fall in garlic production this year, according to the US-based online newspaper--The Produce News.