The political crisis in Bangladesh has prompted a suspension of onion exports from India, resulting in 80 trucks being stranded at the Bangladesh border. Of these, 45 trucks are from Nashik, 10 from other districts in Maharashtra, and 25 from Madhya Pradesh.
The turmoil in Bangladesh began after violent student protests erupted over a 30 percent reservation in government jobs for descendants of freedom fighters. This instability and ensuing anarchy have forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to seek refuge in India after resigning. The crisis has severely disrupted trade activities on the India-Bangladesh border, posing a significant threat to Indian farmers and exporters.
The onion trucks were stopped on Monday at 3 PM after the Bangladesh border was closed due to the ongoing unrest. The movement of vehicles between Bangladesh and India has been halted amid the violence in Bangladesh. Each of these halted trucks carries 25 tonnes of onions.
Bangladesh is a crucial market for Indian onion exports. Despite high export duty charges of $500 and an additional 40 percent duty imposed by the central government, Indian farmers have continued to export onions to Bangladesh.
Currently, exporters are adopting a wait-and-watch approach regarding the situation at the border. They are evaluating their options and will soon decide on the next steps for the onion stock in the halted trucks.
The ongoing crisis has highlighted the vulnerability of agricultural trade to political instability. The trade bodies are likely to explore alternative measures to support the affected farmers and ensure the smooth flow of exports in the future.
In a positive development, the export of these 80 trucks resumed today after midnight. Maharashtra Onion Farmers Association President Bharat Dighole informed that, "The export has resumed today at midnight, and all 80 trucks containing onions were exported to Bangladesh. The banks have also started operating in Bangladesh, so we see no further issues regarding onion exports to Bangladesh now."