India takes methods to permit at least 1,000 trucks to carry onion to Bangladesh

The officials of the Indian exterior affairs ministry possess begun talks with the commerce ministry officials on the problem of allowing at least 1,000 trucks containing onions to check out Bangladesh to supply the kitchen staple.

The talks started today in the wake of reports that the trucks, each containing 25 tonnes of onion, are stranded at the trade points along Bangladesh's border with West Bengal, sources said.

The trucks are stranded at Petrapole, Mahadipur in Malda, Hili, Ghojaldanga, Changrabandha and Fulbari in West Bengal, following notification by India's Directorate Standard of Foreign Trade on Mon announcing a ban on export of onion.

The DGFT notification announcing the ban has managed to get clear that it generally does not apply to consignments that agreements have been completely processed, according to our New Delhi correspondent.

The Federation of Indian Exporters Organizations (FIEO) has said they need the consignments that contain already been contracted and also have letters of credit from Bangladeshi importers ought to be exempted coming from the prohibition.

The matter has been pursued with the Indian Customs authorities and the DGFT, said Sushil Patowary, chairperson of the eastern Indian chapter of FIEO.

Patowary said since onions are actually perishable, the consignments stranded at the territory trade points ought to be allowed to proceed to Bangladesh at the earliest.