The resumption of potato imports from India through the Hili Land Port in Dinajpur commenced today, with the objective of controlling the soaring potato prices in Bangladesh.
According to port officials, an Indian truck carrying 25 tonnes of potatoes entered Bangladesh through the Hili Land Port at around 3:00 pm today. The import was carried out by M/s Mukta Enterprise.
Ahmed Kabir, a C&F Agent of Hili Land Port, mentioned that approximately 100 tonnes of potatoes were scheduled for import through the port. Additionally, three more trucks carrying an additional 75 tonnes of potatoes were expected to reach Bangladesh on the same day.
Kabir noted that the total import cost, including all expenses, amounted to Tk 28 per kilogram of potatoes.
Yusuf Ali, deputy assistant officer of the plant contamination control centre at Hili Land Port, reported that the government had granted import permission to 49 importers for the importation of 34,000 tonnes of potatoes from India through the Hili Land Port. This measure was taken by the government to curb the escalating potato prices in domestic markets.
Potato imports through various land ports, including the Hili Land Port, initially began on November 2 of the previous year in response to the surging prices of this essential vegetable. However, the import was temporarily suspended on December 15 of the same year.
