The government seems to have no control over the kitchen market as syndicate continues to line their pocket by selling eggs and chickens at high rates, defying the prices fixed by the government.
Blaming the ‘middlemen’ for such situation, market insiders allege that the syndicate is active, but the authorities concerned do not trace the existence of the syndicate, which pockets about Tk 10 crore per day by selling eggs and chicken.
Adviser to the Ministries of Finance and Commerce Dr Salehuddin Ahmed recently instructed officials concerned to take immediate action to stop market syndicate.
“In Karwan Bazar of the capital, a product changes hands four times. These are presumptive money. This is how money is collected. We have to stop this. There is extortion. Someone told me, Taka 7000 needs for a truck to reach Dhaka,” he said.
But, his directive falls flat as prices of essential commodities continue to soar, much to the sufferings of the consumers.
The government on September 15 fixed the prices of egg and chicken at production, wholesale and retail levels to control the market.
The interim government on September 5 withdrew the tax on importing onion to ease high market prices and reduced the duties on imported potatoes and pesticides.
The price of each egg was Tk 10.58 at production level, Tk 11.01 at wholesale level and Tk 11.87 at retail level while broiler chicken price was set at Tk 168.91 at production level, wholesale level at Tk 172.61 and consumer level at Tk 179.59.
Egg market insiders say that the country has a demand for four crore eggs every day. Cashing in on the demand, the vested quarter pockets about 6.5 crore per day by selling eggs at higher rates.
The price of sonali chicken price was fixed at Tk 260.78 at production level, Tk 264.57 at wholesale and Tk 269.64 at consumer level.
Against the backdrop, a dozen of egg was being sold at Tk 165 while varieties of broiler and sonali chicken sold at Tk 190 and Tk 280 per kg respectively on Thursday.
Poultry traders say that the country has a demand for 3,500 tonnes of chicken per day.
About Tk 4 crore is being taken away every day by selling chickens, they claim.
Despite the government’s measures in controlling the market, essential commodities are selling at a high price.
Amid the people’s sufferings, the Directorate of the National Consumers Rights Protection on Thursday held a meeting with the egg and chicken traders at Tejgaon Egg Traders Multipurpose Cooperative Society with its director (admin and finance) Abdul Jalil in the chair.
Addressing the programme, the director urged the traders to make reasonable profit.
Blaming the role of the middlemen, he said, “The price of egg is supposed to drop. But there is no reflection in the market.”
Hanif Enterprise owner Hanif Mia blamed the middlemen for not reducing the price of eggs in the retail market.
“Eggs travel four to five centres before reaching the retailers. If the role of the middlemen is addressed, we would be able to buy eggs directly from the farmer and could sell eggs at a lower price,” he told the Bangladesh Post.
Jakir Mia, a poultry trader at Ananda Bazar, said that they had nothing to do with the price of varieties of chicken.
“We are selling chickens at a high rate in the retail market as we are buying at a high price at wholesale market,” he said.
He was selling broiler chicken at Tk 190 per kilogram.
“Although the government has fixed prices of eggs and chicken, there has been no reflection in the market,” one Rahman alleged at Kaptan Bazar.
Meanwhile, with the news of exporting Hilsha to India ahead of the Durga puja, the price of hilsa increased by Tk 200-250 per kg.
Visiting various markets, it was found that hilsa weighing 1.5 kg is sold at Tk 1800 per kg, 1 kg size hilsa is at Tk 1600 taka, 800 gram size is at Tk 1450-1500 per kg, 500 gram size is at Tk 900 per kg at wholesale level while these are available in retail market at Tk 2200, 2000, 1800, 1200 respectively.
The prices of almost all varieties of vegetable are being also sold at high prices in comparison to the prices of the previous week.
