Betel nut exports stall as 150 trucks idle at Benapole

Exporters say the logjam is burning through roughly Tk 3 lakh a day in penalties and truck rental charges, with each vehicle costing around Tk 2,000 daily as it sits immobilised near the border.

The slowdown, they said, originates on the Indian side at Petrapole, where officials are allegedly dragging out quality assessments and introducing what traders describe as artificial barriers. 

The friction threatens a trade segment that has expanded sharply: Bangladesh’s share of India’s betel nut imports surged to 37% in FY2024–25 — nearly four times the levels of previous years — underscoring India’s growing reliance on higher-quality nuts from across the border.

That dependence has not shielded exporters from escalating delays. 

More than 150 trucks have remained stuck for weeks, creating a backlog and leaving drivers stranded in difficult conditions.

Shah Alam, who has been waiting with his shipment for one month and 27 days, says traders suspect Indian counterparts are intentionally slowing intake to manage domestic market prices. 

“We suspect Indian traders are deliberately delaying the intake of these trucks to control the betel nut market,” he said.

Ashraful, representing exporter Aulia Enterprise, said Petrapole officials continue to cite testing-related issues to justify the holdup. 

“We are trying our best to have the goods released quickly,” he said.

Export volumes have slumped to 30% since August 5 last year, following the fall of the Awami League-led government, after India introduced a series of new restrictions and conditions on cross-border trade. 

Jute and jute goods, garments, wooden furniture and fruit juices are among the products that have effectively stopped moving through Benapole as a result, according to Benapole C&F Agents Association Vice President Aminul Haque.

“Any obstacle to trade harms both countries,” Haque said, urging Dhaka and New Delhi to intervene immediately.

Despite the gridlock, shipments are still being recorded. 

Abu Talha, deputy director of the Plant Quarantine Centre at Benapole, said 10,650 tonnes of betel nuts were exported to India through the port in the first five months of FY2025–26. 

He said the stuck trucks appear to be a matter among traders, adding that any truck with complete paperwork receives prompt clearance once documents reach quarantine officials.

Exporters, however, warn that unless both governments act quickly, the ongoing financial losses will escalate further, undermining one of Bangladesh’s most robust agricultural export streams, reports UNB.