Over 100 crore worth of betel nut stranded at Benapole

Over 150 export-bound trucks carrying betel nut worth around Tk 100 crore have been stranded at Benapole land port for almost two months.

Due to this prolonged stalemate, exporters are being forced to pay around Tk 3 lakh in demurrage every day, at a rate of Tk 2,000 per truck.

Traders allege that Indian customs officials at Petrapole are deliberately delaying the clearance process under the pretext of quality testing, creating complications that are severely disrupting the export trade.

They warn that without swift intervention, exporters may face significant financial losses.

Bangladesh is the second-largest producer of betel nut globally, and the product enjoys high demand in India because of its quality.

According to port authorities, Bangladesh exports approximately Tk 700 crore worth of betel nut to India annually.

Data show that in the 2024-25 fiscal year, Bangladesh's share in India's betel nut imports rose to 37 percent—nearly four times higher than the previous year.

Despite this booming trade, more than 150 trucks loaded with betel nut have been stuck at the port for weeks, leading to congestion and causing hardships for truck drivers.

Abdul Momin, a truck driver stuck at the port, said, "I have been stranded here for one month and 27 days, facing various problems every day."

Ashraful Islam, a representative of exporting company M/s Aulia Enterprise, said, "Indian customs at Petrapole are delaying the process, citing product quality tests and other reasons. Exporters are paying around Tk 3 lakh per day because of this prolonged deadlock."

Traders further said that since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5 last year, India has imposed multiple restrictions and conditions on imports, causing Bangladesh's export volume to drop to nearly 30 percent.

Aminul Haque, vice president of the Benapole Importers and Exporters Association, said, "Any disruption in trade harms both countries. The governments must intervene quickly to resolve this."

He added that due to India's restrictions, exports of several key products—including jute and jute goods, garments, wooden furniture, and fruit juice—through the land route remain suspended.

Abu Talha, deputy director of the Plant Quarantine Wing at Benapole, said that 10,650 tonnes of betel nut were exported to India through the port in the first five months of the 2025-26 fiscal year.

"We are aware of the issues causing the trucks to remain stranded," he said.

He added that once the necessary documents for the stuck consignments are received, authorities will extend all possible cooperation for prompt clearance.

Benapole Land Port Director (Traffic) Md Shamim Hossain confirmed the situation, saying, "Due to the deadlock, over 150 trucks carrying betel nut worth around Tk 100 crore are stuck at the Benapole port area."