The government has eased green chilli import procedure to cool down its price and enhance supply - in the wake of the recent surge in prices of the key spice in the domestic market, said officials.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) under the Ministry of Agriculture has already issued necessary import permits (IPs) in favour of the traders concerned to import the item.
The traders have already started importing green chilli from neighbouring India.
The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has also taken necessary steps to bring down prices of the item to an affordable level for consumers across the country, a source said.
Meanwhile, two green chilli-laden trucks entered Bangladesh through Bhomra land-port on Monday. Besides, 12 more trucks are in the process of entering to the country. A trader - J K Enterprise - is importing the item from India.
Three trading firms are importing 650 tonnes of the kitchen item through the Sonamasjid land-port. The consignments are expected to enter Bangladeshi market today (Tuesday), a MoC press release said on Monday.
The DAE will issue required IPs until prices of green chilli cool down and its supply becomes normal in local market, it added.
Experts and senior officials of the MoC said prices of the widely used item would decline soon, as its supply would increase in the market.
A senior official told the FE that importers are now easily getting IPs, if they apply for those.
The government's top priority is to stabilise the essential's market during this pandemic, he noted.
The prices of green chilli shot up notably to Tk 180-220 a kilogramme (kg) on Monday, which traders attributed to heavy rain in some growing hubs that damaged crop fields.
Riaz Hossain, a vegetable vendor at Jafrabad in the capital's West Dhanmondi area, said prices of green chilli increased by more than 100 per cent in wholesale markets in last ten days.
He noted that green chilli was sold at Tk 160-180 a kg in the city's Karwan Bazar wholesale market, which was Tk 80-90 a kg earlier.
Imran Ali, a trader at Karwan Bazar, said chilli prices rose amid heavy rain in its production hubs like Jamalpur, Manikganj, Bogura and other districts, as chilli gardens were damaged.
Besides, chilli import was also stopped, which fuelled up its prices, he added.
Bangladesh produces 0.14-0.15 million tonnes of green chilli annually, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
