Milk powder price rises
The price of rice continued to rise on the retail markets in the city last week despite arrival of new rice on the market as political violence, frequent blockades and hartals disrupted the supply chain across the country. Vegetable prices remained high throughout the week except Friday. The prices of vegetables decreased on Friday as the city’s market saw higher supply on the day as the fourth round of blockade enforced by the opposition political parties ended Friday morning.
Traders attributed the price hike of rice and other commodities to the political turmoil that almost paralysed the transportation system across the country.
They said truckers raised their fares by five to 10 times due to risk of arson and vandalism on the highways by pickets.
The season for aman rice and winter vegetables has peaked but neither the consumers nor the growers are getting benefits because of the supply chain disruption.
The price of fine varieties of najishail rice increased by Tk 2 a kilogram to Tk 54-Tk 60 a kg over the week.
The price of coarse and fine varieties of BR-28 and miniket remained high. The rice were selling at Tk 43-Tk 45 a kg and Tk 48-Tk 52 a kg respectively.
MA Awal Talukder, a rice trader at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market, told New Age that higher transportation cost pushed the rice price up.
Truck fare increased by 10 times amid political unrest, he said.
On Thursday, importers increased the prices of all varieties of milk powder by Tk 50 a kg.
Companies and importers of milk powder increased the prices of the items by Tk 50 a kg without showing any reason, said Zakir Hossain, a retailer at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market.
Milk powder Dano, Diploma, Fresh and Marks were being sold at Tk 695 a kg, Tk 675 a kg, Tk 670 a kg and Tk 660 a kg respectively on Friday.
The price of local garlic rose by Tk 20 a kg over the week and it was selling at Tk 100 a kg while the imported one was retailing at Tk 75-Tk 80 a kg.
The prices of vegetables decreased by Tk 5-Tk 10 a kg on Friday due to the increased supply of vegetables on the day.
Bean was retailing at Tk 20-Tk 30 a kg, cauliflower at Tk 25 a piece, cabbage at Tk 25 a piece, aubergine at Tk 30-Tk 40 a kg, okra at Tk 40 a kg, bitter gourd at Tk 30 a kg, cucumber at Tk 30 a kg, carrot at Tk 30 a kg, tomato Tk 80 a kg and papaya at Tk 15 a kg on the day.
The price of broiler remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 125-Tk 130 a kg over the week ending Friday.
The price of egg decreased by Tk 2 a hali (four pieces) and it was selling at Tk 26-Tk 28 a hali on Friday.
The price of onion decreased by Tk 10 a kg as the supply of newly-harvested onion increased to the city’s markets.
The newly-harvested local onion was selling at Tk 90 a kg while the imported item was retailing at Tk 70-Tk 80 a kg on Friday.
Traders said that the prices of the item — both local and imported — would come down if a smooth transportation could be ensured.
Mosharraf Hossain, joint secretary of Shambazar Krishi Panno Arrot Bonik Samiti, told New Age that the prices of onion would decrease further as India had reduced the export price of the item.
The Indian government has decided to decrease the export price of onion to $350 a tonne from $1,150 a tonne, he added.
The price of green chilli dropped by Tk 20 a kg and was selling at Tk 60 a kg on Friday.
The price of potato remained unchanged and it was retailing at Tk 20 a kg. Sugar was selling at Tk 48-Tk 50 a kg.
The price of local red lentil remained unchanged and the item was retailing at Tk 115 a kg on Friday.
The price of bottled soya bean oil (five litres) remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 570-Tk 585 in the city’s kitchen markets. The unpacked soya bean oil was retailing at Tk 112-Tk 115 a kg.
Rohita was selling at Tk 250–Tk 300 a kg on Friday, pangas at Tk 180–Tk 250 a kg and tilapia at Tk 160–Tk 200 a kg, depending on their size and quality.
The prices of beef and mutton remained steady. Beef was selling at Tk 280 a kg and mutton at Tk 450 a kg on Friday.
-With New Age input
