The prices of edible oil, sugar, gram, onion and garlic rose last week on the retail markets in the capital about one month before Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims.
Traders said the retail prices of edible oil, sugar and gram increased in the last two days due to an unexpected supply shortage in the market.A syndicate comprising millers and distributors are becoming active to manipulate the commodity market before and during Ramadan, retailers said.
The prices of unpacked soya bean and super palm oil increased by Tk 5 a kilogram.
Unpacked soya bean was retailing at Tk 120 a kg and super palm oil at Tk 80 a kg over the week ending Friday.
The price of bottled soya bean oil (five litres), however, remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 655 to Tk 665 on the city’s kitchen markets.
The price of sugar increased by Tk 2 a kg and the commodity was selling at Tk 48-Tk 50 a kg on Friday.
Mizanur Rahman, a trader at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market, told New Age that the supply of edible oil and sugar witnessed a sudden fall as the mill owners were not issuing adequate supply to the wholesalers.
The major portion of the products is being supplied to the big distributors and they are creating artificial crisis in the market to gain excessive profits during Ramadan, he said.
The price of gram increased by Tk 10 a kg and the commodity was selling at Tk 70 a kg on Friday.
Local onion price increased by Tk 2 a kg and garlic price by Tk 5 a kg.
Local onion was retailing at Tk 40 a kg and garlic at Tk 95 a kg on the day.
The imported onion and garlic were selling at Tk 35 a kg and Tk 115 a kg respectively on Friday.
The prices of vegetables remained unchanged.
Aubergine was retailing at Tk 50-Tk 60 a kg, cucumber at Tk 40 a kg, tomato at Tk 40 a kg, papaya at Tk 40 a kg, okra at Tk 30 a kg and bitter gourd at Tk 40 a kg over the week ending Friday.
The price of green chilli remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 50-Tk 60 a kg on the day.
Rohita was selling at Tk 250-Tk 320 a kg, katla at Tk 220-Tk 300 a kg, pangas at Tk 180-Tk 300 a kg and tilapia at Tk 180-Tk 210 a kg, depending on their size and quality.
The price of broiler increased a bit and was selling at Tk 150-Tk 160 a kg on the day.
Beef was selling at Tk 280-Tk 300 a kg and mutton at Tk 425-Tk 450 a kg on Friday.
Red lentil, imported from Turkey and Canada, was selling at Tk 85-Tk 90 a kg over the week.
The price of fine variety of red lentil named ‘kangaroo’ was selling at Tk 130 a kg on Friday while the local variety of red lentil was selling at Tk 115 a kg.
The price of egg remained unchanged and was retailing at Tk 32 a hali (four pieces) on the city’s markets.
-With New Age input
