Bangladesh News

Price of fine rice that reached its peak more than a week ago is yet to show a downward trend while that of coarse rice has come down by Tk 4-5 per kg in the wake of the countrywide open market sales (OMS) of rice by the government and through BDR outlets.

Packed flour and all sorts of edible oil saw a sharp rise in their prices in the last three weeks.Prices of vegetables have come down to some extent but still remain much above those during the correosponding period last year.

Rice price under the OMS programme is Tk 25 per kg while it was Tk 19 a kg under this programme in September-October last year and Tk 13 a kg in late 2006.

Locally produced Guti Swarna sold in retail markets at Tk 29- 30 yesterday as against Tk 35 a kg a week back. Fine rice varieties Nazirshail sold at Tk 38-44 a kg yesterday, Miniket at Tk 44 and Lata at Tk 38, showing no fall in their prices that skyrocketed around 10 days ago.

Although price of fine rice has come down at the wholesale markets by Tk 5 to TK 10 per maund, it has no impact on the price in retail markets.

Asked about this, retailers at Kawran Bazar said usually the prices of locally produced coarse remain high at this time of the year. The recent uproar was mainly on the prices of coarse rice, not fine rice, because the rich can afford it.

Retailers at Mohammadpur Krishi Market said they are now selling rice they had bought at higher prices, and this why they cannot sell those at reduced prices now.

Each 2-kg packet of flour was sold at Tk 80 to Tk 84 yesterday compared to Tk 74 -78 just two weeks back. Each 5-litre soybean oil can sold at Tk 495 to Tk 505, up by around Tk 50 over that in the last week of December.

Some products like flour and edible oil, prices of which are higher in markets, shops, are not available in BDR shops. A BDR personnel requesting anonymity said, “We are not selling it because of supply shortage.”

Each 5-litre can of edible oil, which is sold at Tk 495 to Tk 500 in retail markets, was sold at Tk 435 at BDR shops, while each kg of flour, sold at Tk 41 to Tk 42 in markets, is sold at Tk 35 at BDR shops.

On the other hand, each kg of potato is sold at Tk 13 to Tk 15 in retail markets, it is sold at Tk 18 at BDR shops, while onion sold at Tk 15 at BDR shops and Tk 13 to Tk 14 in rtail markets.

On the impact of price spiral, Chandana, 21, who was studying in honours class last year, said her family forced her to take a job at a shop as it could not meet the expenses of her education.

Chandana, a resident of Shukrabad, said, “I have already stopped my education and now my younger sister, a student of class IX, will also have to follow my path if the prices of essentials go up this way.”

“Last year, we needed Tk 4,000 a month for shopping but now we need Tk

6000,” said Meherunnesa, daughter of an employee of a city college.