Food price has increased more than 28 per cent on an average in a year and over 9 per cent month-on-month, a government report shows.
A study of the retail food prices, done on the basis of information gathered by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, showed that major food items became costlier by as high as 122 per cent year-on-year.
The TCB’s October 1 report showed that among 30 food items in different categories, prices of at least 20 items had increased sharply in a year and more than 25 items month-on-month.
The government’s market monitoring agency lists 11 products – coarse rice, coarse flour, edible oil, red lentil, potato, onion, dry chilli, sugar and milk powder – as ‘most sensitive’ essentials.
All ‘most essential’ commodities became costlier month-on-month and seven commodities year-on-year.
The TCB report said that the price of coarse rice increased by 43 per cent over a year and 6.5 per cent month-on-month and that of medium grade rice soared by 38 per cent in a year and 3 per cent month-on-month while the price of fine rice rose by 20 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.
The price of coarse flour increased by 53 per cent in a year and 11 per cent month-on-month and that of soya bean oil by 19 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. The price of red lentil declined by 14 per cent year-on-year but increased by 3 per cent month-on-month.
Potato price decreased by 54 per cent year-on-year but became 4 per cent costlier month-on-month, onion price rose 14 per cent year-on-year and 43 per cent month- on-month.
The price of sugar declined 7 per cent year-on-year but increased 4 per cent month-on-month, that of milk powder decreased 11 per cent year-on-year but increased 4 per cent month-on-month.
Garlic price increased 24 per cent month-on-month and 100 per cent year-on-year, turmeric 7 per cent and 122 per cent respectively, egg 28 per cent and 6 per cent, mung dal 21 per cent and 39 per cent and hilsha fish 38 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
Emdad Hossain Malik, chief of the market monitoring cell of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, said that price of almost everything in the kitchen market had increased considerably in a year and the prices were soaring further.
