The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) has called on the government to significantly lower tariffs on onions, potatoes, and eggs in a bid to curb the soaring prices of these essential food items.
In a recent letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the BTTC recommended the removal of import duties on onions and a reduction in tariffs on eggs and potatoes to 5 percent from the current 33 percent.
The commission, operating under the Ministry of Commerce, emphasized that these measures would increase imports, helping to alleviate inflationary pressures.
The BTTC’s appeal comes in the wake of recent floods in eastern Bangladesh, which have severely disrupted poultry farming across 11 districts, leading to a shortage in egg supply. Additionally, potato production has dropped by 1.2 million tonnes, contributing to a spike in prices.
Onion prices have also remained stubbornly high, exacerbated by India’s imposition of a 40 percent export duty and a minimum export price of $550 per tonne aimed at stabilizing its domestic market.
In Dhaka’s kitchen markets, potato prices ranged from Tk 52 to Tk 60 per kilogram yesterday, a 28.74 percent increase compared to the same day last year, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). Local onions were selling at Tk 110 to Tk 120 per kilogram, marking a 35.29 percent rise, while imported onions were priced at Tk 100 to Tk 110 per kilogram, up by 50 percent.
Egg prices, meanwhile, remained steady at Tk 50 to Tk 53 for four eggs, showing little change over the past year.
