MANDALAY------ As Myanma onions are now being purchased from Bangladesh, onion prices already rise in the local market, say onion merchants from Mandalay.

In March, it was the summer onion harvesting time, the price of domestic onion was between Ks 250 and Ks 300 per viss. So, the onion farmers had faced the loss. And then, the local onion prices had hit a low of Ks 200 because onion merchants can’t export them to China due to COVID-19 outbreak.

“The onion price is currently Ks 500 per viss in local market as Bangladesh already bought Myanmar onions. When onion harvesting period which fell in March and April, the onion farmers had sold their onions at least Ks 200 per viss. So, the onion farmers faced double losses. Moreover, about 300 onion vehicles were trapped because China placed on lockdown in June and July due to COVID-19 outbreak. Due to the effect, the onion prices dropped up to Ks 200 per viss. In early September, some merchants exported onions to Vietnam through Myawaddy border route. They had success in onion export. Later, China resumed purchasing of Myanmar onions by the end of September. In doing so, the price of domestic onion slightly increased Ks 250 per viss. Now, the Bangladesh buys Myanmar onions for between Ks 500 and Ks 700 per viss. That’s why, the domestic price of onion is Ks 500 per viss,” said Win Myint, owner of Shwe Mann Hla Onion Warehouse in Mandalay.

Currently, it is less of onions in Mandalay’s onion market. So, the merchants are now selling their onions Ks 700 per viss as retail price.