Staff Correspondent
Foods at restaurants have still remained costly despite substantial fall in prices of edible oil, flour and other items by 25 to 30 per cent over the past few weeks.
Owners of restaurants raised the prices of their items ranging from 30 to 50 per cent in the middle of last year, citing high prices of flour and edible oil in the local market.
Currently, the retail prices of flour fell by around 50 percent, edible oil by around 30 percent, but the wholesale prices of the items have dropped sharply following their fall in the international markets.
“We agree that prices of items served by restaurants remain high, but very soon we will take decision to reduce the prices,” said Khandaker Ruhul Amin, president of Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association.
Currently, the prices of parata are between Tk 3.0 and Tk 5.0 a piece, singara between Tk 3.0 and Tk 6.0, samucha between Tk 3.0 and Tk 6.0, and between Tk 4.0 and Tk 8.0. Food prices at many popular restaurants are higher than the ordinary restaurants.
Amin, however, said many restaurant owners have enlarged the sizes of their items considering the fall in the prices of its ingredients. Selim Ahmed Hena, a central leader of Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association, said that they will sit after Upazila election to review the prices of restaurant items.
Selim said “Owners of restaurant have kept the prices of items high in anticipation that the prices of flour, edible oil might go up again.”
Abdul Gafur Sagir, owner of Orient Restaurant, said over telephone, “I think the prices should come down. We had increased prices of food items in the wake of skyrocketing value of flour and edible oil.”
Abdur Razzak, president of Moul-vibazar Merchant Association said that the prices of Atta (Flour) consumed by hotels and restaurants declined by around Tk 800 a sack (two maund).
Md Abul Hashem, president of Bangladesh Paikary Voijaya Tel Bebosayee Samity said that the prices of soybean fell by around Tk 700 a maund over the past one week to Tk 3,000 a maund. It reached the peak at Tk 4300 in 2008.
He said the prices of super palm oil has fallen by around Tk 500 over the past one week to Tk 2000 a maund. It reached the peak at Tk 4000 in 2008. “The prices of palm oil fell to Tk 1800 as against Tk 3600 a maund,” Hashem added.
There are around 25,000 restaurants operating in the country, of which around 10,000 are registered, according to Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
