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Price of essentials goes beyond capacity

Lower income group faces hardship


Published : 24 Jan 2020 09:31 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 02:03 AM

People, especially the low and mid-income groups, are facing the worst situation as the prices of most essentials have gone beyond their purchase capacity.

Prices of rice, oil, sugar, lentil, spices and other essential commodities remain on the rising trend, thus affecting thousands of middle and lower income families throughout the country.

Visiting the capital’s kitchen markets it was learned that the latest price increase of all kinds of rice bought dissatisfaction among the consumers.

Despite sufficient paddy supply in this Aman season, rice price is increasing alarmingly. At least Tk four increased in per kilogram (kg) rice. Last week coarse rice price increased rapidly while this week upper grade rise price is increasing.

Per kg coarse rice (Swarna and Guti) is selling at Tk 34-35, based on quality BR-28- Paijam- Lota is selling at Tk 38-45 per kg, Minicat TK 50-52kg, Nazirshail at Tk 55-60 per kg.
Traders saying that as they have to purchase rice at a higher price from the mill gate, they have nothing in their hand to sell the rice at lower rate.

Karwan Bazar kitchen market rice trader Yusuf said, from past two weeks rice price is increasing. Both coarse and fine rice increased by at least Tk 5-7. He also informed that, as the Minicat season is over, hence, its price is soaring.

However, the government has urged rice mill owners and wholesale traders not to increase rice prices at this moment, said food minister Shadhan Chandra Majumder on Thursday. Paddy is currently being sold below the rate fixed by the government across the country.

An emergency meeting was held between the government and rice mill owners at the Directorate General of Food, with the food minister in the chair, to discuss the sudden hike in prices of rice.

The Directorate General of Food (DGF) fixed the price for paddy for Tk. 26 a kg, parboiled rice for Tk. 36, and white rice for Tk. 35. The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) recorded the production cost to be Tk. 21-24 for each kg of paddy this year depending on regions.

“There is no reason to raise rice prices at this moment, despite adequate supply of paddy in the markets. We have urged rice mill owners and wholesale traders not to increase the prices,” Shadhan Chandra Majumder said.

Besides rice, price of edible oil, lentil, spices and others are also soaring. Loose edible oil per litter is selling at Tk 90-95, loose palm oil is selling at Tk 85 per litter. Medium quality lentil is selling at Tk 75 to Tk 80, ahead of Ramjan, gram price is also increased by Tk 5 per kg and selling at Tk 75 to Tk 80 per kg.

On the other hand, garlic is selling at Tk 130 to Tk 150 per kg, red chilly at Tk 300 to Tk 350, cinnamon at Tk 420 to Tk 450. However, green cardamom price fell by Tk 10.00 and selling at Tk 40.00 to Tk 45.00; local onion is selling at Tk 80 to Tk 100 per kg, while imported onion at Tk 60 to Tk 80 per kg.