The prices of all daily commodities have increased again in the span of a week. After remaining stable for a few weeks, the prices of rice and meat have increased again citing floods as an excuse.
Price of all types of rice per bag has increased again in the city markets on Saturday.
Of this, the price of coarse rice has increased by Tk 4 per kg. Last week BR-28 rice was sold at Tk 56, on Saturday it was sold at Tk 60. Apart from this, Miniket was sold at Tk 70 to Tk 72, Nazirshail Tk 70 to Tk 75 and Basmati at Tk 90 to Tk 95 per kg.
Retailers say that they have no hand in increasing the price, they have to buy all types of rice from Aarat at Tk 200 to Tk 330 more per bag.
Private service holder Habibul Islam said the prices of all kinds of products have been increasing for a long time. Among them, the fact that the price of rice has increased further is a bolt from the blue.
He said that he regularly buys medium quality BR-28 rice. Until now, he used to buy BR-28 rice at Tk 56 per kg. Now selling at Tk 60, an increase of Tk 4 per kg. Low-income people are in trouble due to the high price of the staple food.
"Every sack of rice has increased by Tk 200 in Mokam. We sell as we buy," said a rice trader in Motijheel market to the Daily Observer.
The price of green chillies is increasing gradually. On Saturday, the price of green chilli stood at Tk 320 per kg. Tomatoes were sold for Tk 200. The price of barbati, brinjal, bitter gourd, kachurmukhi, The price of onion and potato has not recovered. Onion was seen selling at Tk 110 to Tk 120 per kg in various markets on Saturday.
According to onion importers and marketers, when India imposes a 40 per cent duty on onion exports and the price of onion in the Indian market increases, the price of the product also increases in the country.
Wholesalers in Shyambazar and Karwan Bazar are selling domestic onion at Tk 110 per kg, while Indian onion is priced at Tk 100. Traders said that this price may increase in the near future.
Abdul Mazed, General Secretary of Shyambazar Onion Traders Association, said that the supply of onion in the market has decreased by about 25 to 30 per cent, so the price of the product has increased.
He said, increasing the import can stabilize the price of onion. However, due to the high cost of importing onion from India, the business is suffering.
The same trend has been seen in Khatunganj, one of the largest wholesale markets of daily commodities.
At present, onion is being sold at a higher price in the wholesale market of Khatunganj. At present, onions are being sold at retail for Tk 105 to Tk 110 per kg. Before Eid, the price was Tk 88 to Tk 90.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension, import permits have been issued for about 17.65 lakh tonnes of onion since June 2023. But so far only 6.2 lakh tonnes of onions have been imported.
Harun-ur-Rashid, President of Hili Land Ports Importer and Exporter Group, said the current price of onion is Tk 80 to Tk 92 per kg. Traders are reluctant to import onions due to additional import costs and risk of damage.
And potatoes are being sold at the rate of Tk 60 to Tk 65 per kg.
After hovering between Tk 170 to Tk 180 for about three weeks, the price of broiler chicken has reached Tk 200 again.
Traders say that the price of chicken has increased due to continuous rains for several days. Apart from this, sonali chickens are being sold at Tk 320, cocks at Tk 350 and layers at Tk 330 to Tk 350 per kg. The price of local chicken in the retail market is Tk 650 to Tk 680 per kg..
On the other hand, beef is being sold at Tk 780 and mutton at Tk 1,100 per kg. In addition to broiler chicken, the price of eggs has also increased. A dozen eggs were seen to be sold at Tk 150 to Tk 160.
The price of fish has also increased. Pangas and tilapia were sold at Tk 250 to Tk 300 per kg.
Apart from this, per kg Rui from Tk 350 to Tk 500, Katla from Tk 380 to Tk 400, Shing from Tk 400 to Tk 450, Tengra from Tk 550 to Tk 600, Pabda from Tk 480 to Tk 500, Shrimp at Tk 700 and Boal from Tk 700 to Tk 800 were sold.
Zahid Hasan, a resident of Gulshan, said, "From food to daily necessities, the price of everything is high. Now, even if the grocery budget is Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,000 per week, it is not enough."
Former Food Secretary Abdul Latif Mondal has warned that food prices may increase further in the next 2 to 3 months. He said, due to low crop production, prices usually increase in September-October.
The recent heavy rains and floods may add to this upward trend. As a result, government surveillance needs to be increased.
